Your dentist in Wichita now offers mini dental implants

There are many ways to restore your smile today, and different methods will work better for different people’s smiles. While dentures still work well for many, and dental bridges can work for others, more people are choosing dental implants to restore their smiles in a variety of ways. Now there is another type of implant available to patients in Wichita called mini dental implants. What exactly is the difference between mini implants and normal implants, and when would you want to use one of these restorations?

Traditional dental implants

Dental implants are generally composed of titanium and are placed in the jaw to serve as roots for new dental restorations. Different restorations can be placed over implants depending on the number of teeth that need to be replaced. For example, if you have lost one tooth, you can simply have a pontic, or false tooth, placed over the implant, and if more than one tooth is missing in a row, a bridge may be anchored to the implant. Dentures can also be placed over implants when a full arch of teeth needs to be replaced. Traditional implants are usually between 3-6mm in diameter, making them stronger for handling more force.

Mini dental implants

Mini dental implants were not originally meant as permanent implants until dentists discovered that they bonded with bone as strongly as traditional implants. In fact, mini implants can bond with a patient’s jawbone even when there has been bone deterioration, making them ideal for many people with this problem. Mini implants are, as their name implies, smaller than traditional implants (under 3mm in diameter) so that they don’t need as much bone structure for successful placement. This means that mini implants are often ideal for patients who need to have their whole smile restored with implant supported dentures.

When you need to have your teeth replaced, ask your East Wichita Dentist about restoration options such as mini dental implants. You may find that this is the ideal treatment for your smile, especially if traditional implants won’t work or you need a more affordable alternative.