Mini Dental Implants in Huntsville, AL

The American College of Prosthodontics states that 178 million Americans have at least one missing tooth. Many people think that the only options for missing teeth are traditional dental implants, dentures, or bridges, but there is another option: mini dental implants. 

At Chase Family Dentistry in Huntsville, AL, we provide mini dental implants that allow you to regain a confident and functional smile with a minimally invasive procedure.

What Are Mini Dental Implants?

Mini dental implants function similarly to conventional implants but are much smaller. The posts used in mini dental implants are one-piece screws that are less than 3 millimeters wide. Conventional implants are two pieces, with posts that average 5 millimeters in diameter.

The small screws used in mini implants have an end shaped like a ball. It protrudes from the jawbone so that we can attach the false crown or another restoration.

An advantage of dental implants over other replacement methods is that implants prevent the bone loss that can occur in your jaw after losing a tooth. Your jawbone is stimulated by tooth roots, promoting the creation of bone cells to maintain density. When a tooth is lost, this stimulation no longer occurs, potentially weakening the jawbone. Dental implants act like tooth roots, preventing this issue by providing the needed stimulation.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Mini Dental Implants?

Mini implants are a good choice for most people who have lost a tooth. At Chase Family Dentistry, we will conduct a free assessment before moving forward with dental implants or another procedure. 

Some medical conditions may prevent you from receiving these implants:

• Bleeding disorders
• Bone diseases
• Unmanaged diabetes
• Vascular disease

Additionally, you may not be a strong candidate if you have oral hygiene concerns, take medications that affect wound healing, are receiving chemotherapy, or smoke.

Benefits of Mini Dental Implants

We specialize in mini dental implants at Chase Family Dentistry because they offer so many benefits over other tooth restoration approaches. 

Less Invasive Procedure

Traditional dental implants require surgically placing the implants under the gums. This leads to a longer procedure that is much more invasive. With mini dental implants, you only need a local anesthetic, and the procedure does not require sutures.

A less invasive surgery not only makes the procedure easier and quicker but also makes the recovery process faster and more comfortable for you.

Affordability

Because mini dental implants do not require a complex surgical procedure, they are also more affordable. This factor can be crucial for people who need to replace multiple teeth.

Minimal Bone Requirements

If you have suffered some jawbone loss because of missing teeth, you may worry that you do not have enough bone for a dental implant. With traditional implants, you might need a bone graft, which takes months to heal before the implant can be placed. Fortunately, this additional surgery is much less likely with mini dental implants.

The small size of the post allows us to place mini implants in areas where you may have already begun to lose bone.

Ideal for Small Areas

If you have a small mouth or have lost a tooth in an area without much space for a traditional implant, a mini dental implant is often a more practical option.

Faster Results

Placing a mini dental implant is a quick procedure, usually requiring just one session. This allows you to see and feel the results much more rapidly than you would if you had traditional implants, dentures, or other tooth replacement procedures.

Reliability

People with dentures must avoid certain sticky foods and stress over the dentures moving while speaking. That is not the case with mini dental implants. You can eat anything you want when you get mini dental implants, even steak or corn on the cob!

Additionally, research shows that mini implants are just as effective as standard implants.

Preparing for Mini Dental Implants

To ensure that you are a good candidate for this procedure, we encourage you to reach out to us at Chase Family Dentistry for a free consultation. During this consultation, we will assess the treatment areas, taking digital X-rays to determine the precise placement of the implants. We will ask for your full medical history and any medications you take.

We can also talk through the many payment options we offer so that you do not have to feel stressed about this aspect of getting treatment. We work with many third-party financing institutions that offer flexible payment options, often with 0% interest. We will always do our best to help you afford the care you need.

To help you prepare for mini dental implants, you may need to take some antibiotics. If you take blood-thinning medications or supplements, we might ask that you stop taking them in the days leading up to the procedure. You should always check with your primary care physician before halting any medications.

The Mini Dental Implant Procedure

The procedure begins with the application of a local anesthetic. This will numb the treatment area so that your procedure is pain-free. Dr. Clayton will then insert the post through the gum tissue and fix it in place with special tools. Then, she will attach the replacement tooth to the ball and socket joint using a rubber O-ring. The entire process is incredibly efficient, taking just one to two hours.

Aftercare

Recovering from a mini dental implant does not require a lot of downtime. We recommend avoiding hard or sticky foods as the treatment area heals and using cold compresses and over-the-counter pain medications to alleviate discomfort.

You should carefully clean the implant area, brushing gently with a soft-bristled brush. Clean the implant after every meal and before you go to sleep. We also recommend using mouthwash.

It is important to remember that if you grind your teeth while sleeping, you may need to use a nightguard to avoid damaging the implant or replacement tooth.

Once the area has healed, you can return to your usual oral hygiene routine. Brushing, flossing, and rinsing every day and maintaining regular checkups with Dr. Clayton will prolong the life of your mini dental implants.

Advanced Tooth Replacement at Chase Family Dentistry

If you have missing teeth, mini dental implants are a remarkable replacement option. They require only a minimal surgical procedure, making recovery faster and easier.

Mini dental implants can give you the freedom to eat what you like without stressing about damaging the implants, and you never have to worry about adhesives, as you would with dentures.

At Chase Family Dentistry in Huntsville, AL, we offer the help you need to regain full use of your bite. Our mini dental implant expert, Dr. Clayton, has years of experience focusing on restorative treatments. With our state-of-the-art facilities, we perform the latest techniques to help you get the care you deserve. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions