Implant Dentistry: Single, Multiple and Mini Dental Implants
Why Choose Dental Implants?
Dental implants are a very effective way of replacing missing teeth, and can be used to hold implant crowns and bridges, and to secure dentures. They have several advantages over alternative methods of tooth replacement. Bridges and partial dentures usually require your natural teeth to be modified in some way, so healthy tooth structure is removed. Dental implants don’t require any such modifications, and they prevent bone loss in the jaw. This point is particularly important as other methods of tooth replacement do not have this ability.
When your tooth and its roots are extracted then the jawbone no longer receives the necessary stimulation to tell it to renew old bone cells, so your jawbone is gradually reabsorbed. A dental implant acts like a natural tooth root, supplying stimulation to the surrounding bone, so it continues to renew old bone cells.
Denture Stabilisation: Mini Dental Implants
Many people who have lost all their natural teeth will struggle to wear dentures. Over time dentures can become less well-fitting and unstable, creating problems with eating and speaking. This is due to the loss of bone in the jaw that occurs after tooth loss, and which has the effect of flattening the bony ridge that used to support teeth. This bony ridge is also used to help retain dentures. Loose dentures are more of a problem for lower dentures as upper dentures are constructed to cover the roof of the mouth, providing additional suction. Mini dental implants provide an excellent and affordable solution for stabilising loose dentures.
What Are Mini Dental Implants and How Are They Used to Stabilise Dentures?
Mini dental implants are shorter and narrower than conventional dental implants but are still made of the same high-grade titanium alloy. The head of the implant is shaped like a ball, fitting into a socket like attachment in the base of your denture. You’ll find your denture snaps into position and is held firmly in place. Just four mini dental implants are typically used to stabilise a denture, although this can vary.
Results may vary in individual cases. The photo(s) used are stock photos of people who are not patients of Blue House Dental practice, employees or affiliates.
What is the Dental Implant Procedure?
A dental implant consists of three parts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most people are suitable for dental implants, provided they are in reasonable general and dental health. We will need to carry out various diagnostic tests to determine your suitability, including a CT scan to assess the amount of healthy bone in your jaw. The CT scan is also used to plan the precise placement of your dental implants.
Dental implants may take a little longer to complete, but treatment could last for life, and the results are superior to alternative methods of tooth replacement.
The actual procedure is very similar to conventional dental implants. You will need a full consultation with one of our dentists at Blue House Dental to assess your suitability for this procedure. We will want to know a little bit about your medical history, including any medications or diseases that may affect treatment. We also carry out diagnostic tests that include dental x-rays and a CT scan. This shows us exactly how much bone is available for the mini dental implants, and enables us to plan surgery. One of the advantages of having mini dental implants is that less bone is required to hold the implant in position. The procedure to insert the implants is very straightforward as they are simply screwed in position and there is no need to open up the gums, and no need for stitches. Mini dental implants can often be immediately ‘loaded’ which means dentures can be stabilised the same day as surgery.