What Are Mini Dental Implants?
Mini dental implants are ultra-small diameter (l.8 millimeter width), biocompatible titanium alloy implant screws which are precisely placed through the gum into the jawbones to provide secure connections for false teeth. This innovative system was formally introduced to the United States dental community at an implant conference in Orlando, Florida in April, l999 and due to its immediate and longterm benefits for patients, now represents one of the fastest growing methods of improving the quality of life for patients who wear dentures.

Is the Mini Dental Implant FDA approved?
Yes. Prior to his preliminary discussions with Dr. Bulard, Dr. Sendax had submitted a formal application to the FDA in Washington, DC seeking permission to market the mini dental implant devices to the general public. After providing satisfactory technical and clinical evidence to that agency that the product was safe for public use and in fact had beneficial attributes, the FDA granted its formal consent to market the Mini Dental Implant device not only as a transitional or temporary dental product, but significantly, as a long-term device for dental treatments.

When can Mini Dental Implants be used?
When critically needed for support purposes, and where solid bony adaptation (integration) has clearly occurred, mini implants can function as long-term supporting structures rather than as short-term or medium term devices. In fact, some have been successfully functioning in patients' jaws for several decades. In the past several years, some clinicians have been utilizing MDI's for single tooth replacements and in crown and bridge cases..

What's the primary and most effective use for Mini Dental Implants?
The most effective use of this unique dental product is stabilization of a lower denture. In Australia, recent surveys indicate that over 50% of the community over the age of 65 are "edentulous" (literally meaning lacking teeth). A majority suffer a great deal of discomfort as a result of loose or ill-fitting dentures. Many denture wearers simply withdraw from any type of social engagement as a result of being compelled to wear them. Moreover, it's not uncommon for family members to complain about a denture wearer's disagreeable breath as a result of food being trapped and decaying under their denture prosthesis. Successful placement of the Mini Dental Implant addresses and solves all of these social and practical problems. Denture patients all over the world have experienced relief from loose or fill-fitting dentures from doctors who are trained to place the MDI. Uniquely, the MDI can be utilized to stablilze a denture in a couple of hours by a trained dental implantologist, with the patient leaving the clinic with a stabilized prosthesis.

How specifically can Mini Dental Implants help denture wearers?
The standard insertion protocol for mini dental implants calls for four of them to be gently screwed into the front of a patient's lower jaw. This is a relatively painless procedure that can be performed by a qualified, trained and experienced implant dentist, requiring only a mild anesthesia. The mini dental implants, which are approximately the size of wooden toothpicks, are placed about five millimeters apart in the patient's upper or lower jaw. The patient's denture is then carefully adjusted by the dentist or prosthetist to allow it to snap onto the four mini implants. The result? A tight fitting, completely reliable system that allows a patient to speak and eat with confidence. The Mini Dental Implants are placed in about an hour's time. Because of the unique, minimally invasive procedure, the minute size of the implants, and the characteristic placement area, the typical Mini Dental Implant patient can enjoy a light meal an hour or so after having the mini implants placed. Further,a denture patient who has had his or her prosthesis stabilized with MDI can remove and replace the denture easily after a little practice, and can easily utilize good dental hygiene. All in all, the MDI system is revolutionary in the improvement to quality of life that can be gained in one visit.

How do these Mini Dental Implants endure the tremendous forces that the human jaws create during normal chewing of food?
It's true that what the dental profession calls occlusal forces create dynamic pressures on the human jaw. Our jaws are marvelously designed to adequately withstand those forces. It's also true that mankind has been struggling for centuries to come up with some type of metal or metallic element that can efficiently withstand those forces. Most have been outright failures. However, approximately twenty-five years ago some doctors around the world began experimenting with titanium as a potential dental medium. Titanium is an extremely strong metal used in the construction of aircraft and aircraft engines. The metal, in its commercial form, is incredibly strong and durable. The Sendax Mini Dental Implants takes that metallurgical concept to the next level by adapting an industry approved alloy of titanium. The result is the strongest metal on earth, now commonly referred to as titanium alloy. In fact, extensive tests conducted several years ago by the University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Orthopedics at Dr. Sendax's behest revealed that the particular titanium alloy implants used in the IMTEC Sendax Mini Dental Implants are 64% stronger than ones constructed of commercially pure titanium. The bottom line of this discussion area is simple: If a denture patient has sufficient bone mass to create a rock hard placement of the tiny implant, which an experienced implant dentist can usually determine by an initial examination, the mini dental implants will generally withstand normal chewing forces just like natural teeth. Fractures are extremely rare, but as the case with a person's normal teeth, can certainly occur.

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