Mini Implants: Will They Work for My Front Bottom Teeth?
Erin, from Charleston, SC, asks:
I am missing three front bottom teeth. I am receiving many different suggestions from dentists with one saying I am not a candidate for implants, another suggesting two standard-sized implants, while a third recommending three mini implants. The dentist who said two regular implants with a bridge tooth said mini implants don't work. Yet I read about dentists all over the USA doing mini implants with crowns, singles, doubles, triples, etc with 95% success rates over 10 or more years. A dentist in N.C. said on-line he's done over 600 mini implants with 8 failure's and he's the Dentist for the Carolina Hurricanes (hockey team). Who do I believe? Do Mini Implants work as well as standard sized implants? Are they an option for me?
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Minis
Hi Erin
Mini implants work. They have limited surface area and are more likely to fail if the patients occlusion has significant shearing forces, lateral forces, heavy occlusion or bruxism. I've done cases where the male patient rejected bone grafting, elected minis and is still functioning with anterior splinted crowns (15) fifteen years after placement.
With good bone density (no history of osteoporosis), and an experienced surgeon you may be safisfied. Also consider the many ridge expansion devices available that allow small diameter implants (2.5 to 3.5 mm.) to be placed.
Good Luck
Theodore M Grossman D.M.D.
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
www.Fortlauderdaleoralsurgery.com
Dr. Theodore M. Grossman
Mini Implants
Erin-
I agree with Dr. Grossman that mini implants can be placed and could function successfully. However, it is my feeling that standard diameter implants would always be my first option for solving a situation such as yours.
Mini implants were typically used as "transitional" implants, which were placed to provide patients with a more suitable temporaty crown, bridge, or denture during implant treatment. They soon began to be used as "ongoing" implants, as it was found that they functioned well and remained healthy over longer periods of time. It is on that basis that I have used mini implants for a more permanent solution to implant problems, but only when placing a standard implant is not possible.
In a situation such as yours, I would prefer the two implants and a three-unit permanent implant-support bridge over the mini implant solution.
Good luck with your case.
Dr. Jeffrey Brook
Dr. Jeffrey Brook
http://www.periowellness.com/
Mini Implants: Will They Work for My Front Bottom Teeth?
Dear Erin:
The Dr Grossman and Dr Brook have made some good comments, and I would like to mention another detail that should be given consideration:
Implants are not teeth and the body treats them a little differently.
The space between two implants needs to be a certain distance if you want to maintain the bone at the same level as before the implants are placed.
Depending on the amount of space you have, you may be able to have only two implants, or you may be able to have three.
Sometimes there is unnecessary bone loss around implants because the dentist has tried to place them too close together and you get bone loss years after an otherwise successful implant.
Have the implants planned and placed by an experienced implant dentist.
Good luck.
Carlos A. Boudet, DDS, DICOI
http://boudetdds.com/
Mini implants do not have similar predictability
Mini implants have many reports of complications including non-integration, infection, and fractures. In my opinion, there is no reason for use of such devices, when we have such great experience and predictability with regular implants. If there is inadequate bone, then the site can be grafted and developed for regular implants.
Dr. H. Ryan Kazemi
http://www.facialart.com/
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