Some patients have asked about the long term survival
of mini-implants. I recently reviewed a
research article by Dr. Todd and Samuel Shatkin in the Compendium Journal. Their research paper titled “Survival of 2114
implants…” studied 531 patients over 5 years. They found that mini-implants used to retain removable dentures were worse than those
used to retain fixed crowns and bridges. Unfortunately the research excluded immediate mini-implant failures. They
studied what dentists call small diameter implants which are 2.75—3.3 mm
diameter. The mean duration of follow-up
was 2.9 years. Only a very few (0.8%)
fractured on placement. The overall failure rate was twice as high in maxilla
(upper jaw), and the posterior molar area was 3.37 times more likely to fail than the anterior
mandible. Fixed bridges had a 99%
success rate, and mini-implants used to retain an upper denture failed most
frequently with an 82% failure rate. The overall success rate was 94%, with a mean
failure time at 6.4 months.
Dr. Gibbs does place mini-implants in selected cases where the success rate is pedictably high. His Glen Ellyn office sees patients in Wheaton, Naperville, Lombard, Lisle, and the Chicagoland area. He may be reached at SmileGlenEllyn.com.
Some patients have asked about the long term survival of mini-implants. I recently reviewed a research article by Dr. Todd and Samuel Shatkin in the Compendium Journal. Their research paper titled “Survival of 2114 implants…” studied 531 patients over 5 years. They found that mini-implants used to retain removable dentures were worse than those used to retain fixed crowns and bridges. Unfortunately the research excluded immediate mini-implant failures. They studied what dentists call small diameter implants which are 2.75—3.3 mm diameter. The mean duration of follow-up was 2.9 years. Only a very few (0.8%) fractured on placement. The overall failure rate was twice as high in maxilla (upper jaw), and the posterior molar area was 3.37 times more likely to fail than the anterior mandible. Fixed bridges had a 99% success rate, and mini-implants used to retain an upper denture failed most frequently with an 82% failure rate. The overall success rate was 94%, with a mean failure time at 6.4 months.
Dr. Gibbs does place mini-implants in selected cases where the success rate is pedictably high. His Glen Ellyn office sees patients in Wheaton, Naperville, Lombard, Lisle, and the Chicagoland area. He may be reached at SmileGlenEllyn.com.