Mini Dental Implant
Information Site
WHY?! & WHAT?!
When deciding what is best for you, you should ask yourself why? Why are you considering Dental Implants in the first place? Are you replacing a single tooth, a few teeth, an entire dentition, or just want to have your dentures stay secure? There are many factors to consider when it comes to Dental Implants. The most important factor you should consider is what choice will result in the best possible restoration with the most successful outcome over time. It is clear in the data that Standard Dental Implants are far superior than Mini Dental Implants. Most people veer towards Mini Dental Implants because of so called savings and ease. Ironically, the savings that are advertised as being associated with Mini Implants are often not savings at all. In fact, anyone that gets a treatment plan from a general dentist should make the time to see a Surgical Specialist for a consultation (especially since most Surgical Specialists do not charge for implant consults) and compare the treatment plan, what you will actually be getting and the costs involved before making a final decision. More times than not you will be surprised at the minimal difference in cost and amazed at what you are actually getting for the money you plan to spend.
If you're not sure who the best dentist for implants is, there is an article that you should read regarding having your implants placed by a general dentist vs a Surgical Specialist. This article by the IDIA quotes a statistical failure rate of implants that are placed by General Dentists at 18.7%. That converts to a 1 in 5.3 failure rate, a DRASTIC difference from the 99% success rate achieved when seeing a Surgical Specialist (Certified Periodontal Surgeon or Oral Surgeon)!!! If you are interested in seeing this info, click the following link to read it for yourself; http://thedentalimplantguide.org/dental-implants/selecting-a-team-of-doctors/why-choose-a-specialist/
Secondly, the scare tactics that are used in advertising by general dentists that place Mini Implants are sad. Excess surgery, bone grafting, long healing periods, and even the mention of nerve transposition!?! Its despicable to say the least. If what you are doing is the best, why bother scaring people with exaggerated false information. Their goal is obviously to drive traffic their way.
Don't be fooled by misleading information or scare tactics. If you are considering Dental Implants, whether it be for retaining a denture, eliminating the need for a denture, single tooth replacement, or multiple teeth being replaced, contact a Surgical Specialist to make sure you get the best possible outcome.
So what about the "What"? That's simple. "What?!," because the only thing that can be said about the cases that follow in this section is WHAT was the dentist that did this thinking? Unfortunately for those that received the treatment shown, every one of them needed to be retreated. It should be clearly stated that this site is not built to say that mini dental implants do not have a place in the implant world, but they are way overused in situations that would be best treated with standard implants. With that said, there are many general dentists misleading people as to their ability to have standard dental implants placed in order to keep the profits in their office rather than sending the patient to a specialist that is capable of providing a better more successful outcome that would be in the patients best interest. Even the special course that is being given to teach general dentists how to implement mini dental implants in their offices focuses more on how much they can increase their profits as opposed to how to provide the best possible outcome for their patients. This is why it is critical that you understand all your options and see a surgical specialist before you make a choice with your dental treatment.
Case #1
A regular work of art... Apparently the general dentist that placed these implants didn't take any X-Rays. Nowhere in the literature does it say it is ok to drill through an old root to place any type of implant. How about the decay on the tooth in front of that?! This whole mess could have been easily handled by removing the root tip and decayed tooth and placing 2 standard implants and a bridge. This would easily be considered malpractice if reviewed by an expert panel. The patient trusted their general dentist to do what was best for them and this is what they got...
Case #2
Another work of art... This lady presented chronic pain around her mini dental implants, but was never told by the cosmetic dentist that placed them that they had broken a mini dental implant off in the base of her sinus, they tried extracting it but could not get the tip out. This information legally should have been disclosed to the patient immediatelly when it happened. The only way to fix this is to use a surgical technique to laterally access her sinus and remove the tip. By the way, if there were enough space for 3 mini dental implants, there was surely enough space for a standard dental implant. Unfortunately she was another one of many patients that have been told she did not have enough bone for a standard dental implant. The odds of fracturing a standard dental implant are almost unheard of, whereas fractured mini dental implants is common in poorly treatment planed cases...
Case #3
Prior to ANY implant placement it is critical that ALL possible factors that may affect the future of the case be evaluated thoroughly. Again, this is why seeing a surgical specialist is always in your best interest when it comes to Dental Implants. This is a great example of the complete disregard for the periodontal status of the patient. These implants were guaranteed to fail without properly addressing the periodontal condition prior to considering implant placement. Rest assured this was no cheap treatment plan. Sadly enough, this patient could have recieved a full mouth reconstruction with only 12 standard implants and had a result that could last a lifetime rather than a few years with 15 mini dental implants that are already failing...
Case #4
Apparently, this dentist felt it was OK to just drill one of the mini dental implants into the side of the adjacent tooth. So I'm guessing that they figured putting in a new tooth with mini dental implants was of greater good than destroying the healthy tooth ahead of it? Again, there was plenty of bone for placement of a standard dental implant, but the patient was told otherwise. By invading the ligament space of the adjacent tooth, the patient ended up needing a root canal that would have otherwise been unnecessary had the implant not been drilled in at the wrong angle.
Case #5
By now, you're probably seeing a bit of a recurrent theme. Here again is a lower molar with 2 broken minis! The 2 that are supporting the restoration are at a poor angle. There is obviously enough space for a standard dental implant based on the fact that there were four minis attempted to be placed. To remove the broken minis would require block removal of bone, so they were left there with the hope that they will not get infected and require removal at a later date. Even if a mini is half the price of a standard implant, its the fact that they fracture more easily and need for more than one to replace a molar saving you anything? Again, DON'T BE FOOLED BY MISLEADING ADVERTISING! See a surgeon and have your situation thoroughly evaluated before you make a choice as to what is best for you. Saving a few dollars right now might cost you major dollars down the road...
Case #6
THREE mini implants in the sinus! This case deserves not only a "WHAT!?" but an additional OMG!!! This is the poster child for what NOT to do. NO IMPLANT regardless of being a standard or mini implant should be placed in the sinus without proper augmentation. This patient has been in chronic pain since the day it was placed. He was never told by the general dentist that did this that the implants were directly invading his sinus. There is no excuse for this and the only remedy is to remove the implants and start over. So much for mini dental implants costing less. There is not one bit of dental literature that supports this case. I don't often give my opinion when it comes to surgery, as I am a surgeon who is data driven and prefers to make decisions based on facts, not guess work. But... I truly feel this was done by a doctor that feels they have a license to steal, or really has no concept what is right and wrong...
