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Stable Dentures
Sandalwood Dental is proud to announce the introduction of Mini-implants to our treatment protocol. At last there is an affordable way to keep your loose denture or partial in place, vastly improving your chewing ability and confidence!
What Are Mini Dental Implants?
The MDI (mini dental implant) System consists of a miniature titanium implant that acts like the root of your tooth and a retaining fixture that is incorporated into the base of your denture, The head of the implant is shaped like a ball and the retaining fixture acts like a socket that contains a rubber O-ring. The O-ring snaps over the ball when the denture is seated and holds the denture at a predetermined leve of force. When seated, the denture gently rests on the gum tissue. The implant fixtures allow for micro-mobility while withstanding natural lifting forces.
Is the Mini Dental Implant FDA approved?
Yes. The FDA has granted its formal consent to market the Mini Dental Implant device not only as a transitional or temporary dental product, but significantly, as a long-term item. ( IMTEC was the first company to receive long-term approval of its MDI implants from the FDA, and for several years, was the only company to have that distinction.)
What's the primary and most effective use for Mini Dental Implants?
The most effective use of this unique dental product is stabilization of a lower denture. There are approximately 50,000,000 people in the United States who are "edentulous" (literally meaning lacking teeth) who struggle daily with prosthetic devices. A majority suffer a great deal of discomfort as a result of lose or ill-fitting dentures. Many denture wearers simply withdraw from any type of social engagement as a result of being compelled to wear them. Moreover, it's not uncommon for family members to complain about a denture wearer's disagreeable breath as a result of food being trapped and decaying under their denture prosthesis. Successful placement of the Mini Dental Implant addresses and solves all of these social and practical problems. Denture patients all over the world have experienced relief from loos or ill-fitting dentures from doctors who are trained to place the MDI. Uniquely, the MDI can be utilized to stablilize a denture in a couple of hours by a trained doctor, with the patient leaving the clinic with a stabilized prosthesis.
How specifically can Mini Dental Implants help denture wearers?
The standard insertion protocol for mini dental implants calls for four of them to be gently screwed into the front of a patient's lower jaw. This is a relatively painless procedure that can be performed by a general dentist, requiring only a mild anesthesia. The mini dental implants, which are approximately the size of wooden toothpicks, are placed about five millimeters apart in the patient's mandible. The patient's denture is then carefully adjusted by the dentist to allow it to snap onto the four mini implants. The result? A tight fitting, completely reliable system that allows a patient to speak and eat with confidence. The Mini Dental Implants are placed in about two hour's time. Because of the unique, minimally invasive procedure, the small size of the implants, and the characteristic placement area, the typical Mini Dental Implant patient can enjoy a light meal an hour or so after having the mini implants placed. Furthermore, a denture patient who has had his or her prosthesis stabilized with MDI can remove and replace the denture easily after a little practice, and can easily utilize good dental hygiene. All in all, the MDI is quite satisfying.
What type surgery is involved with Mini Dental Implants?
A single, minimally invasive surgery is needed for insertion of the Mini Dental Implants. The implants are then put into immediate biting or "loading" function thanks to their "self-tapping" design, thereby anchoring a fixed bridge system. As a result, it is often possible to provide the complete mini implant service in a single office visit. Mini dental implants clearly represent an enormous breakthrough for the dental implant specialty as the most patient-friendly, cost-effective, proven dental implant system available.
What will my first day be like with Mini Dental Implants?
Leave the denture in place until bedtime. You should not experience any excessive bleeding. There will be some mild discomfort but this should be minimal and controlled by recommended pain medication. The denture should feel secure. You may eat as soon as you wish to avoid excessively hard or sticky foods at first. Upon removing the denture, rinse your mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash and carefully clean around each implant fixture with a cotton swab and toothpaste. Use a cotton swab for three days. After that, use your ACCESS toothbrush. It has been specially designed to clean your implants and gently stimulate the surrounding gum tissue.
What's a typical daily routine one might expect once the Mini Dental Implants have been placed?
As with all dental applications, there's a short adjustment period during which time you become comfortable placing and removing the denture. Typically, this involves removal of the lower denture in the morning, brushing the gums and implant area with an ACCESS curved bristle toothbrush, rinsing the mouth, rinsing the denture itself, then replacing it.
You must clean and brush the ball of the implant as if they were your natural teeth. As with natural teeth food and bacterial debris must be removed or inflammation of the gums will occur. In addition, food and debris can be forced into the O-ring fixture causing improper seating and loss of retention. The O-ring fixture must also be cleaned out.
The result is a normal day's activity for you, including eating, talking, taking a nap, etc. Then, in the evening, the denture is usually removed again, the ACCESS brush is used, and the mouth thoroughly rinsed. The result is a fully functioning dental appliance that works.
I've heard that standard dental implants are quite expensive. What about Mini Dental Implants?
Mini Dental Implants are surprisingly affordable, and are usually available at a fraction of the cost of traditional implants. By choosing the MDI, you've chosen an enhanced way of life free of a lot of the discomforts and heartaches of a loose or ill-fitting denture. That's worth a lot. Sandalwood has several payment plans available to help make financing your procedure as easy as the procedure itself. All you have to do is ask.
For more information, download our brochure.