Are you considering dental implants but worried that you may not be a candidate due to thin bone or small spaces? If so, then Mini Dental Implants (MDIs) could be the solution for you. In this blog post, we will share everything you need to know about MDIs, including their indication, candidacy, advantages, and disadvantages.

MDIs are made from the same material as regular-sized implants but are much smaller in size, with the smallest one being 1.8 millimeters and the largest one being 2.6 millimeters. They are one-piece implants, meaning there is no abutment, and they are designed to be used in areas where there is insufficient bone or limited space.

The indication for MDIs is for areas where you have thin bone or small spaces. They can be used for fixed crowns or to help support an overdenture. For instance, if you have a small space, and you want crowns rather than wearing removable prostheses, MDIs can thrive in that area. In such cases, two small MDIs can be placed with two different surgical protocols. Sometimes, implant placement can be done with guided surgery without cutting the gum, while other times, it is done with conventional methods, using a flap and mini stitches.

One of the main advantages of MDIs is that they can provide the patient with an immediate fixed entry on the same day. This means that the patient can have a crown fitted on the same day as the implant surgery, which is not possible with regular implants. Additionally, MDIs can be used in areas where we cannot place a regular-size implant because the patient does not have enough bone. In such clinical situations, the surgery can be done without any cuts to the gum, using the flap plus dental implant surgery procedure.

MDIs can also be used to provide support and retention for a loose upper denture. By placing many implants, we can provide the lack of support and give the patient more retention for the denture. This can be seen on the X-ray, where the MDIs look different from the lower conventional implant areas with tight space, where regular implants cannot be placed.