Have you ever heard the term “bigger is better?” It turns out, this sentiment isn’t always the case. Take phones, for example. The telephone used to be a big, bulky contraption, anchored to the wall of your house. Nowadays, phones are small enough to fit in your pocket! Although tiny, the modern telephone is capable of so much more than a bulky home phone, while offering excellent convenience. Dental implants have undergone a similar evolution as the field of implantology has advanced over the years. Conventional implants are reliable, but large, often creating limitations in who can use them and how. Fortunately, Riviera Dental Care offers mini dental implants, the smaller, sleeker, and more convenient alternative! If you need to replace missing teeth, consider trusting a Foley Implant Dentist like those at Riviera Dental Care with your smile.
The Drawbacks of Conventional Implants
Conventional dental implants are titanium screws about 5 mm in diameter. Due to their large size, they require ample jawbone for placement. Unfortunately, not every patient has the necessary bone structure due to bone resorption! This natural process refers to the loss of bone mass and volume as a result of tooth loss.
Natural teeth have roots that stimulate the jaw to maintain its health and density. Without these roots, your jaw will gradually resorb, deteriorating over time. Dental implants prevent bone resorption by securing in your jaw and replacing your tooth roots. However, many patients with minimal jawbone are unfortunately ineligible for conventional implants.
Additionally, conventional implants have a multi-piece structure. We place each component at a separate appointment, allowing for healing in between, drastically prolonging the process. In some cases, conventional implant treatments take almost a year to complete!
With multiple appointments necessary and various components to pay for, conventional implants are often expensive. If additional procedures, such as a bone graft, are required to rebuild lost bone, your treatment will likely increase in cost and duration.
Fortunately, mini dental implants often eliminate the need for a bone graft, as their small diameter allows them to secure in minimal bone!
The Benefits of Mini Implants
Mini dental implants are small, less than 3 mm in diameter. Because of their narrow size, these implants fit into smaller spaces, requiring less jawbone structure. Additionally, mini implants have a one-piece structure that allows us to place them in a single appointment! The unique design provides many incredible benefits for patients like you, including:
- Minimally invasive: Due to their smaller diameter, we use a minimally invasive placement procedure to secure these implants in your jaw. Instead of using incisions and a series of drills, we create a small pilot hole in your bone. Then, we gently screw the implant into place in a single appointment!
- Immediate stability: Using a minimally invasive procedure allows for much faster healing. Because we disturb less of the tissues surrounding your implant, mini implants secure in your jawbone immediately! With these implants, we secure a temporary crown, bridge, or denture restoration, the very same day we place your implants!
- Affordable price: With fewer components, fewer appointments, and fewer additional procedures, mini implants are often half the cost of their conventional counterparts.
How a Foley Implant Dentist Restores Your Smile
At Riveira Dental Care in Foley, AL, we always begin with a free implant consultation.
During this appointment, we conduct a thorough examination of your smile and take 3D digital X-rays. With this information, we are able to assess the quality of your bone and determine if dental implants are right for you!
Most patients in Foley are eligible for mini dental implants due to their small diameter and minimally invasive process. Once we determine that you’re a good candidate, we will create a custom treatment plan tailored to your needs.
At your procedural appointment, we use a local anesthetic to keep you comfortable. Additionally, our team is also equipped to perform sedation dentistry, enabling patients with dental anxiety to remain calm yet alert throughout the procedure.
Once you’re comfortable, we’ll begin by making a small pilot hole in your jaw. Then, using the hole as a guide, we carefully screw the implant into place where it becomes immediately stable enough to support a temporary restoration! This crown, bridge, or denture is functional, and any discomfort you experience can be handled with over-the-counter medications.
In a few weeks, when your implant is fully integrated into your jaw, your Foley implant dentist secures your final restoration in place, restoring your smile.
Book a Free Implant Consultation With a Foley Implant Dentist!
You may have heard about conventional implants before and their history of effective tooth replacement. However, at Riviera Dental Care, we believe it’s time for an upgrade! Mini dental implants are just as effective, but without all the hassle. As your implant dentist in Foley, AL, we can secure your smile using innovative mini dental implants!
Book a free implant consultation today to learn more about the implant restorations we offer.
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