Mini dentures are small titanium screws that anchor lower dentures to the jaw, reducing slipping and difficulty eating or speaking. The procedure takes about an hour and requires a healthy lower gum and sufficient jawbone. Maintenance is minimal, and the screws may need to be replaced periodically. Mini dentures are not installed on the upper jaw.
Mini dentures are devices used to firmly anchor the lower denture, or false teeth, to the lower jaw. These dental implants are small protruding titanium screws placed in the lower jaw bone that snap into a matching socket on the bottom of the lower denture. The screws anchor the lower denture tightly to the jaw, but the dentures come free easily when they need to be removed. Installing the mini denture is quite simple, taking about an hour. Mini dentures are installed when the lower dentures often float free from the lower jaw causing difficulty eating and speaking.
To install the mini denture, the patient is given Novocain to numb the lower jaw or, if dental procedures cause extreme anxiety, the patient may be sedated during the procedure. A small hole is drilled in the gum and the mini prosthesis screw is then passed through the gum and screwed into the jaw bone. The tip of the screw is left protruding from the top of the gum. The complementary sockets are then attached to the bottom of the old mandibular denture or a new mandibular denture so that the screws in the gum match and fit snugly into the sockets of the mandibular denture. The patient will then be advised to test the new prosthetic device in a few hours or asked to wait until the next day.
Typically, there is no pain during the procedure once the anesthesia has taken effect. It takes about an hour to install the mini prosthesis, and once the procedure is complete, most patients don’t need any additional pain medication. Dental implants do not require extensive maintenance, they just need to be checked periodically by a dentist. Occasionally, a screw, socket, or o-ring that connects the screw to the socket will need to be replaced. The likelihood of a screw or prosthetic socket coming loose depends on the health of the lower jaw and gums and how often the prosthesis is removed and inserted.
Almost all denture wearers who suffer from slipping or floating of the lower denture can use these mini dentures. The only requirements are a healthy lower gum and a sufficient jawbone to anchor the screws. Surprisingly, however, only a small amount of jaw is needed to set the screws. When the gum is unhealthy, the procedure may be delayed and steps may be taken to try to improve the health of the gum to allow for these implants at a later date. Mini dentures are not installed on the upper jaw because dentures for the upper jaw do not move as much and the upper jaw bone is much narrower and would not support the current screws.
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