Mini Dental Implants
Mini Dental Implants are offered at our office to help with Denture Stabilization. Most complete denture patients complain that their lower complete denture is a source of sore spots because it has a tendency to move around while being worn. Complaints of the lower denture coming loose during eating or speaking is frustrating and a source of anxiety for patients that wear and upper and a lower complete denture.
In general, the patients upper complete denture does pretty well with respect to movement and dislodgment. In other words, the upper complete denture tends to stay in the mouth easier that the lower complete denture.
The Process
Under a little local anesthesia, four lower jaw implants are placed without the need for any surgical cutting. Once the four implants are placed in the lower mandible, usually the patient’s own lower complete denture can be modified to hold the miniature snaps that snugly fit over the implants.
When the patient leaves the office he or she has the lower complete denture snugly in place. We ask that the patient leave the denture in place for 24 hours and the doctor will remove the denture the first time, check the area, clean the area and clean and sterilize the lower denture and show patient how to remove, place, clean and care for their implant stabilized denture.
Old Dentures
If the patient who is interested in mini dentures for the lower complete denture stabilization has a very old, worn. broken denture, the doctor may recommend that a new one be made before the lower 4 mini implants are placed. Pain (if any) is minimal and can be compared to a headache or slight soreness if pain exists at all.