Comparing Mini Dental Implants vs. Traditional Dental Implants

Dr. Mark Grucella, DDS • May 23, 2018

mini dental implant vs. traditional dental implant

When it comes to replacing a missing tooth or several missing teeth, there is a growing list of options. These include different types of dentures, bridges, and dental implants. Of all the options, dental implants offer the best performance because of their overall strength and stability along with benefits to overall oral health.

A dental implant is a titanium post inserted into the jawbone beneath the gum line. Implants act like the roots of teeth and allow a single artificial tooth or a group of artificial teeth to be mounted to them. A dental implant is a solid anchor for any type of replacement tooth and is not likely to come loose, slip, or shift. There are currently two main types of dental implants – traditional implants and mini implants. A comparison of these two options are described in this article.

History of Performance

Traditional dental implants have been in use for more than 50 years and have been researched extensively over those five decades. Traditional dental implants have proved to be a safe and effective with a mountain of evidence to support this statement. When searching for the most durable and most secure tooth replacement option, a traditional dental implant is by far the best choice. Mini implants are a relatively new product and procedure. They have not been as thoroughly tested and researched as traditional dentures.

Mini dental implants were initially developed as a temporary tooth replacement solution but have evolved to become a permanent option. Mini implants offer people an alternative who either don’t want a traditional dental implant or who are not a good candidate to receive a traditional implant for several reasons. For example, some people lack the bone mass in their jaw to hold a traditional implant.

Long Term Durability

Traditional implants last much longer and are far more stable than mini implants. Testing shows that mini implants have a significantly lower bite force tolerance than traditional implants, making them more likely to bend or break. Statistics tell the story when it comes to durability. The failure rate for a traditional implant is between 1% - 2%. The failure rate of a mini implant is currently between 10% - 30%.

If you are someone who tends to grind your teeth, mini implants are probably not the right solution for you. Traditional implants are a much better choice because of their greater strength and stability.

Size and Strength

As the name suggests, mini implants are significantly smaller than traditional implants. The diameter of a traditional dental implant is between 4 mm – 6mm, whereas the diameter of a mini implant is between 1.8 mm – 2.9 mm. The smaller the diameter of an implant, the higher the risk for failure. The larger the diameter, the lower the risk of failure over the long term.

What’s the Best Option for You?

The answer to this question depends on a lot of different variables that are unique to each person. The best way to decide is to make an appointment with a dentist who has extensive experience and formal training with dental implants. An initial exam by a qualified dentist and a one-on-one discussion will help you make the right choice.

If you are interested in replacing one or more missing teeth, we offer a long history with dental implants and invite you to contact us to schedule an appointment and learn more. Please call our office at 330-733-7911 or request an appointment at any time by visiting this link on our website: Schedule Appointment

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Oral Health Awareness is Important Every Month of the Year!

By Dr. Mark Grucella, DDS • July 26, 2023

Oral health plays a significant role in our overall health, both physical and mental. Therefore, it’s beneficial and rewarding to think about oral health every day. There are national awareness months throughout the year that focus attention on different aspects of oral health and the importance of taking care of ourselves with good practices, routines, and professional care. Here are some of the months receiving national recognition for different types of oral health topics:

Digital Dentures vs. Traditional Denture

By Dr. Mark Grucella, DDS • February 8, 2023

Learn about the many advantages of digital dentures compared to a traditional denture.

Just Like Halloween, There’s Really Nothing To Fear

By Dr. Mark Grucella • October 22, 2022

Halloween can understandably be a scary time of year. Afterall, when October rolls around, we start seeing the emergence of witches, ghosts, ghouls, goblins, vampires, bats, spiders, and everything else that can make the hair on the backs of our necks stand up. But then, October 31 st comes and goes, and we realize, there really wasn’t anything to fear in the first place. It was just our worries, anxieties, or the unknown running wild and getting the better of us. Time and time again, our new patients tell us how dental care can be a lot like Halloween. They have anxiety because of the unknown, or they had an unfavorable experience in the past that resulted in a reluctance to continue to seek care on a regular basis. We are proud to say we were a breath of fresh air for these patients. Once they came to us, they discovered there really wasn’t anything to fear and now look forward to each and every appointment so they can enjoy the many benefits of routine dental care. As we like to say, “Our Dental Care Does Not Scare” and here’s why: Friendly, Fun, Non-Judgmental Style of Care When patients come to one of our three Akron-Canton area dentist offices, they find a welcoming and friendly team of professionals focused only on the comfort, care, and well-being of our patients. We also like to have some fun! In addition to being dedicated dental professionals, we are sports fans who like to support our teams. When there’s a big game, you’ll see each of us wearing our favorite team’s jersey whether it’s the Guardians, Browns, and yes, even the Steelers. Holidays also provide us with great opportunities throughout the year to incorporate some fun by decorating our offices and ourselves with the applicable ornamentation. What’s really special is watching how our patients love to join in on the fun and dress up for the big games and holidays too! Informing and Empowering Our Patients Before we proceed with any type of care, we provide our patients with all the information, explanations, and answers to questions they want. Costs are also shared up-front so approval can be given and there are no surprises. We make sure our patients are always in charge of their individual care. Navigating Dental Insurance Benefits Like any type of insurance, dental benefits can get complicated. What’s covered? What’s not? Am I taking full advantage of all my dental insurance benefits? These are just a few of the most frequently asked questions by our patients. We help you navigate your dental insurance plan and understand all your benefits. No Dental Insurance, No Problem Not everyone has a dental insurance plan and the ability to minimize their out-of-pocket dental care cost. That’s why we created an in-house discount dental plan. It helps our patients who are not covered by dental insurance save on everything from cleanings and fillings to cosmetic procedures and crowns. See Why There’s Nothing To Fear While many people put off dental care because of worries or anxieties, we invite you to give us a try by scheduling an appointment at one of our three Akron-Canton area dental office locations. Please call us at 330-733-7911 or send us a request for an appointment here on our website by visiting this link: REQUEST APPOINTMENT Just like Halloween, we’re confident you are going to see there really is nothing to fear. In fact, you may just find you’ll have some fun!