Multi-clinic evaluation using mini-dental implants for long-term denture stabilization: a preliminary biometric evaluation.

Mini-dental implants (approximately 1.8 mm to 2.4 mm in diameter) can provide immediate stabilization of a dental prosthetic appliance after a minimally invasive procedure. Furthermore, mini-implants can be used in cases where traditional implants are impractical, or when a different type of anchorage system is needed. Healing time required for mini-implant placement is typically shorter than that associated with conventional 2-stage implant placement and the accompanying aggressive surgical procedure. The design of mini-implants is such that insertion techniques minimize peri-implant tissue and bone damage. Because of their versatility and ease of insertion, mini-implants have proven useful as transitional stabilizers and as fixtures for long-term prosthesis function. This study of mini-implant successes/failures provides data for a thorough review of long-term mini-implant in vivo performance. A biometric analysis of 1,029 MDI mini-implants", 5 months to 8 years in vivo, representing 5 clinics, facilitated this study of the MDI as a fixture for long-term prosthesis stabilization. MDI failure rates for stabilization on average were 8.83%. These analyses establish that the MDI mini-implant system can be implemented for long-term prosthesis stabilization and deliver a consistent level of implant success.