What is a Mini-Implant? An Affordable Option for People Fighting With Their Lower Denture
It is a smaller diameter implant than normally used, like when we replace teeth. They are made just for holding lower dentures still.
2, 3 or 4 of them are usually placed. I’ll explain them all below. These things are perfect if you are only having trouble with your lower denture and want to keep the dentistry affordable.
Mini-implants can only be used in the LOWER JAW in my opinion! Yes we have placed them in the upper jaw, but they don’t usually last very long. The bone in the upper jaw is like a piece of pine wood, soft, while the lower jaw is like a piece of oak, dense and hard. You can place smaller implants in the lower jaw, because the bone is so hard.
And because they are smaller, they cost much less! Less titanium = less money, its that simple. And the awesome thing is they hold the denture just as well becasue they use the exact same attachments as the full-size implants. BUT, there is one shortcoming: mini-implants can never be converted into screwed in dentures while full size implants can. If you choose mini implants, you are stuck with snap-in dentures.
I’ll explain why that’s not really a problem: Most people are very happy with their snap-in dentures, and if you place 3 or 4 of them, there is not much advantage to going to screwed-in teeth. While screwed-in teeth restore 99-100% of your chewing ability, 3 or 4 mini-implants that snap the denture in returns 93% or more of your chewing ability and they are easier to clean because you can take them out!
So, in short, mini-implants are for people only having problems with their lower denture staying still and they can not be turned into screwed-in permanent teeth later, but that’s rarely a problem. They take 15-30 minutes to put in.
Mini-Implants – LODI by Zest Anchors
What is a mini-implant? It is an implant that is less than 3 mm in diameter. It has the same “snap” housing on top of it as a full size implant, so it holds just as well. The one I use is 2.9 mm. Only 0.1 mm less than a full-size implant. It’s basically just playing FDA rules and regulations to be able to produce a less-expensive implant. They are just as strong and hold a denture in just as well as full-size implants.
Locators by Zest Anchors
The “snaps” that hold the denture are called Locators. They are a gold piece that screws into the implant and in the denture there is a metal housing with a nylon cap that can be changed out for different levels of retention. They can be 1 lb to 6 lbs of holding force per implant, so 2 implants can take 12 lbs of pressure to unsnap it, and 4 implants with 6 lb housings is 24 lbs holding it in!
2 Implant Positives
This is the most inexpensive method and gives you the most bang for your buck, in my opinion. If your current lower denture is in good shape and can hold the metal housings, 2 implants are placed in about 5 minutes and then the denture is converted so that it holds the metal housing and snaps to the Locators.
Cons of 2 mini-implants for a lower denture
- Least Retentive, so some food still gets under it and many people still use denture adhesive under the back of the denture to keep it from rocking up…but food gets under every dental restoration. If its man-made, food will get under it
- Can not be converted to a screwed in denture in the future…but very few people ever convert from snap in dentures to screwed in dentures
- If one implant fails, you only have one left…this is the biggest factor to me because some implants do fail over time, but not many
Costs of 2 mini implants placed in my office under local anesthesia or oral sedation is $2495. This includes surgical guide, anesthesia and placing the metal housings into the denture.
3 Mini Implants for lower denture
MY FAVORITE FOR SOMEONE ON A BUDGET LOOKING FOR AFFORDABLE DENTISTRY!
3 implants for a lower denture is a probably the best way to go for keeping a lower denture from moving. By adding the third implant in the front, it prevents 83% of the rocking that occurs with 2 implants. Remember, the snaps have to have some wiggle room built into them or something would break when you eat. The triangle created by 3 mini implants keeps the back part of the denture from coming up so much and most patients report not having to use any denture adhesive to keep food out. And most patients have plenty of bone for 3 implants.
Costs of 3 mini implants placed in my office under local anesthesia or oral sedation is $3495. This includes surgical guide, anesthesia and placing the metal housings into the denture.
4 mini implants with Locators can provide 4 implants x 6lbs = 24 lbs of removal strength!
Not everyone has room in the front part of their jaw for 4 implants and I find it overkill in most people unless they have big jaws. But if you want the absolute tightest fit, and if you have the bone available, 4 mini implants and Locators makes the lower denture have only 7% of flex or movement and they stay nearly dead still.
Costs of 4 mini implants placed in my office under local anesthesia or oral sedation is $4395. This includes surgical guide, anesthesia and placing the metal housings into the denture.
What is Dr. Gardner’s opinion on mini implants?
Personally, I love them. They are inexpensive, they work, they last and they are so easy to place. And look at the price of the most popular choice: 3 mini implants – $3495. Yes, that’s a lot of money but not much more than we spend on a lawn mower…and this gives you the ability to keep the lower denture in your mouth, actually chew your food and prevent you from ever being embarrassed by your denture falling out while enjoying a meal with friends and family. It also gives you the ability to eat healthy foods. Do you have cholesterol problems? Most people with regular dentures do, and it is because all they can eat is soft foods that are usually fried. By being able to eat healthy foods, your cholesterol and blood pressure could improve, even to the point of being able to stop some of the medications you may be on! Implants for dentures are not a luxury. They are truly an investment in your health.
Just to recap the prices for mini implants placed in the lower jaw and connected to your denture:
- 2 mini implants – $2495
- 3 mini implants – $3495
- 4 mini-implants – $4295
“But I still have some teeth and need a lower denture Dr. Gardner. I am afraid to get a lower denture from all the horror stories I hear.”
In my office, we have the technology to make the denture before your teeth are removed, remove the teeth, place the implants and let you walk out with implants attached to the denture, even if infected teeth are present. This can all be done while under local anesthesia, oral sedation or even IV sedation if you are really afraid of the procedure.
“Why do you use this particular system, LODI mini implants and Locator attachments?”
I have been using the Locator attachments for over 15 years and have placed over 10,000 implants with them as the “snap” for the denture. I use them because they are simply the best. I have tried every system out there and none hold as well or last as long as the Locator. The LODI is a relatively new mini implant made specifically for Locator attachments. I stopped placing mini implants 12 years ago when I just couldn’t find a system that had the hold of the Locator, but when this system came out, I jumped on it. I have placed over 2,000 of them and 98% of the LODI mini implants are still functioning perfectly after 3 years. There’s no reason to believe they won’t last decades if they have lasted 3 years.
What can go wrong with the implant?
It is rare for anything to go wrong with the implant, but after 3-5 years, the Locator snap can wear out from taking the denture in and out over and over. Replacement Locators cost about $90 per implant.
See the Frequently asked Questions section for the answers to more common questions.
All About Dental Implants and Dentures 
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