What are mini-implants for patients who wear a lower complete denture?

Mini-implants for exclusive use in the lower jaw are used to stabilize the lower complete denture. Dental implants have many advantages. However, implant treatment costs are higher and treatment period is longer for patients who wear a lower complete denture.
This treatment with mini-implants is recommended for patients who feel that “if it takes so much trouble to undergo implant treatment, this is OK as is. There’s no need for implant treatment.”
In this treatment, a full denture is placed and fixed on 4 mini-implants (titanium screws 1.8 mm in diameter), which are smaller than regular implants.
Although this mini-implant method is inferior to regular implant treatment, the use of mini-implants allows the patient to eat meals more comfortably than with the use of complete dentures.
In addition, treatment costs for mini-implants are lower than those of regular implant treatment, surgical treatment is relatively simple, and little bleeding occurs due to use of flapless surgery. Therefore, meals can be eaten on the day of implant surgery.