Some people assume that only kids lose their teeth. This, after all, is a normal process during permanent dentition and sometimes happens following the many traumatic events kids are exposed to during play. But adults also lose their teeth, mostly owing to trauma. In some cases, the teeth are severely decayed and fall off when they become too weak or can be extracted, such as following dental impaction. In such cases, you need to replace the missing teeth.
Without a solution for the replacement of missing teeth from a Bay Area-based orthodontics clinic, your face will look sunken. Other teeth also move to fill the opening in your jaw; therefore, leading to crooked and misaligned teeth that affect your smile. The leading solution for missing teeth in adults is getting a dental implant. This comes in two variants, including regular and mini implants.
Here are the aspects that will differentiate these two implants:
Size
Traditional dental implants have diameters ranging from 3-6mm. Mini implants are smaller than this at about half this diameter. As such, mini dental implants are successfully used in patients with a shrunk jawbone or those with naturally small teeth and jaws that cannot otherwise fit regular implants. The mini implants also work for elderly patients whose natural jawbone resorption takes place because of the changes with advancing age.
Placement
Both the standard and mini implants are placed into the jaw section left by a missing tooth. The placement process starts with the insertion of a titanium post into your gums. The installation of the visible part of your tooth is done after osseointegration is complete. When getting a traditional implant, a second metal piece known as an abutment will be placed at the gum line.
The crown will then be attached to the abutment. With a mini dental implant, the placement of an abutment is eliminated. This is because the implant has a ball at the end. The crown is placed on this ball.
Cost
In general, mini dental implants are cheaper compared to standard ones. The difference in price is primarily because the mini implants take less raw material compared to standard ones for their manufacture. Moreover, the placement of mini implants is less invasive and requires fewer dental visits compared to the regular ones. Even so, different aspects such as the health of your jawbone and the number of implants determine the overall cost of your implant placement.
Durability
Regular dental implants could last a lifetime. The longevity of mini implants, on the other hand, depends on several factors. Osteoporosis and bone diseases, substance abuse, and smoking will often reduce the lifespan of mini implants. Bi-annual dental cleaning, flossing, and brushing go a long way in maximizing the durability of your regular and mini implants.
There is no sure method of knowing which type of implant will work best for you. It is, therefore, important to visit a well-equipped dental clinic when you decide to get implants. This clinic conducts different tests to determine what works best for you based on the above aspects and test results.
