Big Spring dentist, Dentist in Big Spring, TX

Dental Implants and Mini-Implants

Do you wish you could replace teeth without attaching anything to the adjacent teeth or showing unsightly partial denture clasps? If you already wear a denture, do you wish it would stay put?Dental implants are state of the art tooth replacements that restore natural chewing ability and actually maintain the bone where a tooth once was.

Dental implants are titanium (the same metal used for hip and knee replacement) anchors that are placed in the jaws. They are used to replace individual teeth or groups of teeth and to stabilize dentures. They come in a variety of lenghts, widths, and designs. The volume of bone available to put the implant is often the main determiner of which type of implant is best.

Mini-implants are also titnium and areused when there is inadequate bone for full size implants or when the patient has certain health issues The surgical technique is minimally invasive, so even people who smoke, who have poor health, or who have little bone are candidates. They are much smaller than regular implants, about the diameter of a round toothpick, and thread right into the bone. Usually no incisions or significant bone preparation is required. Patients report very little soreness afterward placement of Mini-implants. They are comfortable enough for most to eat and go back to work the same day.

There is no comparison between the function of a implant or mini-implant stabilized denture and one with out. Even existing dentures can sometimes be retrofitted to work with implants or mini's.