Implant Alternatives: Mini Dental Implants: "Narrower implants may be used for small teeth and incisors. Also, a narrower implant may best serve patients who require stabilization of lower jaw dentures, pre-molar teeth, or a missing tooth that was located in a narrow area. A small number of narrower implants are FDA-approved for the purpose of prosthesis stabilization, including the mini dental implant. Only certain dentists may perform this procedure.
There are some core differences between traditional implants and mini implants:
* Mini implants are approximately half the width of their traditional counterparts.
* The implant is not fully submerged during a narrow implant procedure.
* Should implant failure occur, the small size (that of a toothpick) means grafting is not necessary.
* Mini implants are less costly.
* Mini implants are solid though they do not contain a screw."
