Mini Implants To Replace An Entire Row Of Teeth

“ I have been aware of having gum recession for quite a few years now, but my dentist said that currently there is no cure for this condition. He said you can prolong the problem, but you cannot really cure it. All of my upper and lower teeth are moving as a result, and one of them has become so loose as a result of biting that it is ready to fall out at any second. I simply must remedy this situation, for aesthetic reasons as well as medical ones. Because all of my teeth are loose, a partial bridge is out of the question, but I do not want a denture. Your website mentions the Imtec-MDI row of teeth with 4 miniature dental implants. This solution looks feasible. What is the difference between mini and normal dental implants?”

Mini implants can help secure and stabilizer a denture, making it so that the denture is not on top of the mucus membranes, but rather sits atop a click bar. The click bar holds the dentures in place while eating or speaking. The denture is removable, but rests on a click bar.

The difference is one of size. They are made of the same materials, biocompatible titanium alloy, which are easily accepted by the jawbone. Mini dental implants are typically used when the bone density of the jaw is low, and the jawbone is too thin to handle a regular dental implant. These mini dental implants then hold the click bar, which in turn hold the denture.

A panoramic x-ray and a 3D CT scan will be needed to determine if you are eligible for dental work of this sort. This is the only way to let the dentist see what is going on with the amount of precision needed to predict the outcome, and a 3D scan is needed for positioning anyway (after all, your jawbone is three dimensional as well). Mini dental implants are somewhat cheaper than regulars, too. This is because the procedure takes less time, the implant has less material, and requires less skill to make and to implant.

“ I am sorry to bother you again, but the time is drawing near when I cannot put off the trip to the dentists office any longer. I am going to have all of my lower teeth replaced. It would be high time for me to visit the dentist, not least of all because my front four teeth have a ton of tartar, but I am afraid to go and get it removed, as my front teeth may very well fall out in the process. I want to know if mini dental implants, the non-removable kind can be loaded immediately or not. I do not feel comfortable getting removable dentures, so if my health and my wallet allow me, I want to go for the fixed version. Eventually the same fate is waiting for my upper row as well, I already have a missing canine, which I want to get replaced, as it is terribly bothersome.”    

It may very well be the case that your front teeth are going to fall out, as considerable bone loss has been seen under tartar. The tartar may be the only thing holding the teeth there at this point. The only thing to do is to get the teeth pulled. I would recommend getting that done as soon as possible, as the infected area acts like large wound, dispensing bacteria into your bloodstream and taxing your immune system. The infection will also further damage the jawbone as well, which will reduce your chances for dental implantation. Dental implants cannot be put just anywhere, they need an infection free environment, with enough bone density and good quality bone as well, not to mention superb oral hygiene. Mini dental implants do not hold fixed appliances, they are only good for removable dentures with a click bar.

If you have sufficient bone density then you can get the Replace brand ALL-ON-4 system. This requires normal sized dental implants, but only 4 of them for an entire row of teeth, and these are put in the front of the jaw, where the bone is thicker than elsewhere. The dental implants are used to mount a titanium based denture. This is a very new technique, and only specialized dentists carry it. Because of this, the price is quite high; often times running well into the thousands (of pounds sterling). Specialized CAD/CAM systems are needed to make the plate that the denture goes on, too, and this is quite costly.

You can only get this procedure after your oral cavity has been put in order, though. Otherwise, the risk of infection is just too high. You will need a 3D CT scan, and the doctor will decide if you will need bone augmentation or not. We do not have more information on our website about this procedure, but if you have any questions, ask me directly, and we will do our best to answer you.   

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