Understanding Mini Dental Implants

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Dr. Todd Shatkin, an oral health practitioner with decades of experience, performs innovative cosmetic procedures like mini dental implant surgery through his practice in Amherst, New York. Dr. Todd Shatkin formerly served as president of the International Academy of Mini Dental Implants. 

When patients lose their teeth, dental implants represent an effective and permanent replacement option. Traditionally, the procedure involves first surgically anchoring a large implant in a patient’s jaw bone and then placing a prosthetic tooth on top of that implant. The surgery requires an incision, and the patient must fully heal before the prosthetic tooth can be fit onto the implant.

However, some patients are not good candidates for the traditional procedure due to jaw bone support issues. Other patients may not wish to undergo invasive surgery in the first place. For these patients in particular, mini dental implants offer an alternative solution. As the name implies, mini dental implants are much smaller than traditional implants, measuring between 1.8 and 3.3 millimeters in diameter, while traditional implants measure between 3.4 and 5.8 millimeters wide. 

Dentists can install mini dental implants over one session using only local anesthesia. Moreover, patients can walk out of the dentist’s office with their new teeth ready for use. The traditional procedure, on the other hand, can require several months, bone grafts, and repeat dental visits before patients can begin making use of their new teeth.