Mini Dental Implants – What are they?
A mini dental implant is a titanium implant that acts like the root of your tooth. It can be used for securing a denture or partial denture. Mini implants can be used for fixed crowns or bridges. When used to replace a single rooted tooth many mini implant dentists place one mini implant. When used to replace a multi rooted tooth (like a molar) 2 or more mini implants are placed. A crown or bridge if fabricated by the dental lab and cemented over the mini implant.
If used to secure a denture the head of the implant is shaped like a ball and the retaining fixture acts like a socket that contains a rubber O-ring. The O-ring snaps over the ball when the denture is inserted into your mouth. The denture is tissue supported and implant retained, in other words the denture no longer has to be held in place with adhesives or held in by the patient's own mouth muscles.