Who Is a Candidate for Mini Dental Implants?

Curious if you’re a candidate for mini dental implants? The answer is likely yes. Watch our video to learn about the few exceptions and how implants can work even with minimal bone.

One of the most common questions I receive is, “Am I a candidate for a mini dental implant?” In most cases, the answer is a resounding yes—about 98% of the time, people are good candidates for this procedure. Many individuals worry they might not have enough bone to support an implant, but it’s actually very rare to encounter a situation where there isn’t sufficient bone.

However, there are a few circumstances where we need to exercise caution. The primary concern is with patients whose health may not be conducive to healing. For example, individuals taking certain medications for osteoporosis, particularly a class of drugs called bisphosphonates, need to be cautious. These medications can impair the bone’s ability to heal, which is why you might have heard warnings against getting teeth pulled while on these drugs. The same caution applies to placing dental implants.

Another group of patients we would be cautious with are those with uncontrolled diabetes. If your blood sugar levels are highly variable and not well-managed, your body’s ability to heal is compromised, and there’s a higher risk of infection around the implants. In such cases, we would be hesitant to proceed with implant placement.

Despite these considerations, the most common concern I hear from patients is whether they have enough bone for implants. The good news is that it’s very rare for someone to lack sufficient bone for mini dental implants. These implants require only a small amount of bone, and the results we can achieve even with minimal bone are truly remarkable.