Cosmetic Dentistry
Mini Dental Implants For Albany, NY, East Greenbush, NY & Troy, NY
Mini Dental Implants, also called Small Diameter Implants (SDI’s) are any dental implants less than 3.0mm in diameter
Minis were first developed over thirty years ago to temporarily stabilize dental prosthetics while waiting for the larger implants to heal. Since that time minis have been used to stabilize full dentures and partial dentures and to support fixed bridges and crowns. Mini dental Implants are now fully approved for long-term use in all of these situations.
Mini Dental Implants Have Several Advantages Over Their Full-Size Counterparts
Their small size means they can be placed in areas with less bone often reducing the necessity for extensive bone grafting surgery prior to implant placement. Figure 1 is a lower jaw model with holes drilled to illustrate the different size holes for full-size implants and mini size implants. These are the typical size holes used when a patient needs an implant.
Full Size Implants Mini Size Implants
Smaller size means less invasive surgery to place the implants. This makes them ideal for older, medically compromised patients. It also means a faster recovery with less pain.
Smaller size equals smaller cost. Minis can often be placed at a fraction of the cost of larger implants. Although mini implants may be preferred in many situations they may not always be the best choice. The larger standard size implants work better in areas of low bone density and where more strength is required, like the molar regions. In some cases, aesthetics can be more natiral with Standard size implants and the ability to place an implant st the same time a tooth is extracted is increased.
The Success of an implant and the restoration it supports is dependent on the quality and quantity of the bone that supports it. With the development of mini dental implants the minimum requirement for bone has decreased but there still exists a limit below which an implant is not recommended or bone must be added (grafted) before the implant can be placed. The source of the bone for grafting can be from somewhere else in the patient’s body, from a tissue bank or from a non-human source. In the upper Jaw not only can bone be added to the height and width of existing bone but can also be added to the sinus with little trauma because the sinus is just a large air pocket in the skull.
In conjunction with the bone graft one or more tubes of the patient’s own blood may be drawn and centrifuged to concentrate tissue growth factors (abbreviated as PRP or PRF) for the procedure.
All of the above Procedures related to bone grafting can be performed in our office.
At our East Greenbush dental office, we place and restore all sizes of dental implants and customize a treatment plan which is best for you.
If you have any questions about dental implants,please contact our East Greenbush office. our caring dental team is here to assist you with any dental questions you may have.