Dental Implants & Tooth Replacement

HOW IS A MINI IMPLANT DIFFERENT FROM A CONVENTIONAL IMPLANT?

Your Murrells Inlet “Mini Dental Implants” Provider

Lowcountry Family Dentistry provides mini dental implants at their location in Murrells Inlet.

Think of a mini dental implant as an artificial tooth root. When the implant is placed in your jawbone it bonds with the bone itself and becomes a sturdy nearly as strong as a natural tooth. These are commonly used for retaining dentures or for a singe tooth replacement.

Mini Dental Implants are Less Invasive

In many cases, mini implants cost around half the cost of traditional or conventional implants. That’s due to the simpler procedure with no surgery necessary and using a local anesthesia to numb the area.

Because the mini implant requires only a small pilot hole to be placed, it is less traumatic to the bone and soft tissue, as compared to a traditional conventional implant that usually involves extensive surgery and bone grafts.

The Dentist will make an incision in the gums where the tooth used to be and carefully places the titanium root within the socket where the natural root used to be. In most cases the procedure is done in one day.

Less Discomfort and Healing Time

Because placing the smaller diameter mini implant does not cause as much trauma to the bone and soft tissue in the mouth, your healing time is reduced from months to days.

After the initial placement of the implant you can expect some swelling and bruising for the first 24-72 hours. You also may experience some slight discomfort in and around the area where the implant(s) was placed.

Many patients need only over the counter pain medication for a day or so after the procedure.

Mini Dental Implants Help Prevent Bone Loss

A mini dental implant preserves the bone so that you can preserve the shape of your face. When the jawbone under the missing tooth is not exercised by the tooth, it begins to shrink. This can cause a change in the bite and shape of the face. When the implant is fused with the bone, they continue to allow the bone to exercise and remain healthy.

Less Down Time

In many cases, the mini implant procedure takes place during one dentist visit and can be set immediately. Since the process is less invasive it means less down time, both in the dental chair and in your life.

Mini Dental Implants Require Less Bone Than Traditional Implants

Mini implants require less bone so you’re less likely to need additional costly bone grafts.

A traditional implant requires enough bone volume for the implant to be successful. If there is not enough bone volume then a patient will be required to have a bone graft. This implant process is done in stages and can take six to nine months.

That’s why, at Lowcountry Family Dentistry, we offer the alternative of Mini Dental Implants.

Schedule your appointment today and talk to our dentists about your needs.