Small Diameter Implants: New Developments

Last Updated: Jan 14, 2008

This is an exclusive OsseoNews.com interview with Dr. Todd Shatkin, one of the true pioneers in Small Diameter Implants. Dr. Shatkin has developed some of the original techniques for placing and restoring Small Diameter Implants and continues to develop new techniques and applications. Dr. Shatkin is responsible for publishing the most comprehensive longevity studies on Small Diameter Implants to appear in the peer reviewed literature.

Osseonews: Since we last spoke, there have been some new developments with mini implants and with the F.I.R.S.T. (Fabricated Implant Restoration and Surgical Technique)* a procedure that you developed. Can you tell us about this?
Todd Shatkin,DDS: Sure, the biggest thing is that my patent for F.I.R.S.T. was approved in late 2006 and that was very exciting. This is my unique technology and technique for guiding the accurate placement of Small Diameter Implants (SDIâ€™s) allowing immediate placement of crowns at the same visit. This protocol is foolproof. It is simple, direct and absolutely predictable. The other major development is that we have authorized only one dental laboratory in the United States to use this technology which is Samuel Shatkin FIRST, LLC (Please see: www.shatkinfirst.com). As you know the art and science of dentistry is continuously evolving and we have to keep up with all the advances and this can be a challenge at times. We continue to improve our laboratory procedures to keep up with these changes. We now have over 1200 dentists who have used my patented F.I.R.S.T. technology with great success.

The feedback from the dentists who have used our system is very positive. The technology and the technique works and is very predictable. Thatâ€™s it in a nutshell. We have taken two of the more difficult aspects of implant placement and made this whole process very user friendly. By using SDIâ€™s, we eliminate the need in many cases for bone augmentation and sinus lift procedures. By having such an accurate and simple system for SDI placement, we eliminate many of the vagaries and potential for complications.

Osseonews: Dr. Shatkin what SDI system are you currently using and why?

Dr. Shatkin: The system I have switched over to is the MDL System which is manufactured and distributed by Intra-Lock Inc. and distributed by Samuel Shatkin FIRST, LLC. The MDL (Mini Drive Lock) so named because of the patented “Drive Lock” technology which I will discuss, is available in a 2.0mm, 2.5mm and the MILO mini implant at 3.0mm. These three diameters are all you need.

There are several advantages to these SDIâ€™s over other systems that I have used in the past. One significant advantage is the fact that these are significantly stronger â€“ as much as 30-40% stronger. This results in a much lower chance of fracture during or after placement. Another huge advantage is the “Drive Lock” system for delivery which allows the dentist to place the implant directly from the package to the bone in one fluid motion. I normally place these with the surgical motor which further simplifies the procedure.

Osseonews: Dr Shatkin, FDA approval is a big issue when it comes to implant dentistry. Can you tell me about the FDA with regard to these MDL small diameter implants?

Dr. Shatkin: Yes, the FDA has granted the MDL 510K clearance to market these as “Intended for Long Term Intra-bony applications”. This is the approval that the
dentists need to feel good when placing MDL implants for both denture
stabilization and crown and bridge fixed restorations using F.I.R.S.T. Technique.

Osseonews: Tell us about Shatkin FIRST Lab where is it and how does it operate?

Dr. Shatkin: The lab is in our medical/dental center in Amherst, NY. My father Samuel Shatkin, DDS, MD is a Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgeon with more then 50 years of clinical experience. He owns and operates the lab. There are many highly trained and experienced technicians working hard to produce the best restorations possible.

Every case submitted by a dentist is personally reviewed and planned by my father or myself. We review the x-rays and articulated study models to determine the appropriate placement positions and sizes of the implants to be placed. Once this is done and the case is planned and accepted we perform “model surgery” and place analogs in the models. Next under the guidance of licensed dentists the technicians make a surgical guide stent and the final restorations so that the dentist can place the mini implant and permanently cement the single or multiple crowns at the next visit.

This is my patented F.I.R.S.T. Technique which has now been utilized for more then 4 years. In addition to this, the laboratory is also a full service national dental lab and provides among other things, dentures, veneers, standard crown and bridge work, case planning and consulting etc. They have the latest in advanced porcelain technology including the newest Ivoclar emax frameworks.

Osseonews: What mini implant systems does Shatkin FIRST lab work with?

Dr. Shatkin: They work with any approved SDI system on the market. They are an
authorized reseller of Intra-Lock, for the MDL and MILO SDI system.
An advantage of this is that if the dentist wishes he can have the implants that are recommended by a consulting dentist (e.g., my father or me) shipped to them with their lab case so they are sure to have the needed appropriate implants in their inventory when the patient is in the chair. We were not able to offer this service previously. This upgraded service has been readily accepted by the clinicians and again, the feedback is very positive.
Osseonews: One question that has repeatedly come up is where are the studies in the peer-reviewed literature to support the long term use of SDIâ€™s?

Dr. Shatkin: This is important. The largest study actually was published in the Feb, 2005 issue of Compendium. I was the primary author of this article which discussed results of over 2500 mini implants I placed during a 5 1/2 year period. Anyone desiring a reprint can contact Compendium or myself. The results were astonishing! We had over 97% success with minis for single and multiple crowns and bridge applications. This is indisputable long term success!

Osseonews: Could you please describe your patented, unique approach to the
placement of the SDIâ€™s using your surgical guide stent and flapless surgery.

Dr. Shatkin: Once Shatkin FIRST Lab sends you the surgical stent and finished restoration, the dentist, using the F.I.R.S.T. Pilot Drill Guide instrument places the stent in the mouth, then the drill guide into the titanium sleeve of the stent and using the pilot drill provided with the mini implant system drills through the drill guide into the bone about 8mm deep. Then the drill guide is removed and the mini implant is placed through the stent sleeve into the bone. I use the surgical motor now to place the MDL into position. This allows a very smooth and simple method of placement. Once the implant is down most of the way, the stent is removed and the mini implant is placed all the way into position. It is quite a simple process. Next the restoration is tried in place and any minor adjustments are made and the case is completed. The same process with the guide stent is used for crowns, bridges and denture cases.

Osseonews: Do you feel that general dentists can learn to place small diameter
implants with the current training programs available? What do you recommend for training?

Dr. Shatkin: Well, as you know, I have been teaching SDI placement for the past 7 years and I have placed over 5000 SDIâ€™s with amazing success. I am continuing to provide training programs throughout the country and abroad, and also in my Amherst, NY offices. General dentists can definitely leave one of these programs ready to place SDIâ€™s. There are other programs out there which I’m sure are equally good for training. Anyone interested in taking one of my upcoming programs can contact me at tshatkin@minidentalimplants.com or 716-839-1700.

Osseonews: Is there an organization for dentists to belong to which focuses on mini implants?

Dr. Shatkin: Yes, a group of us have started the International Academy of Mini Dental Implants. This was our first year and our next annual meeting will be held
in conjunction with our Las Vegas Mini Implant Symposium March 14 and 15,
2008. We have nearly 100 members of the Academy and it is growing fast. Anyone interested can contact me or go to www.IAOMDI.ORG and click on membership.

Osseonews: In your experience, is there less chance of complications when placing
small diameter implants as opposed to conventional implants?

Dr. Shatkin: Definitely, I have been placing implants for the past 18 years and the SDIâ€™s for the past 7. There is no question that there are far fewer complications with SDIâ€™s. There is no cutting, no sutures, minimal postoperative pain or swelling and the procedure is accomplished in one treatment visit in most cases.

Osseonews: Do you see SDIâ€™s replacing conventional implants with wider diameters?

Dr. Shatkin: What we are seeing is a shift from wider, conventional implants to narrower ones â€“ sort of a downsizing in progress and the FDA is moving in the right direction by approving these systems. As we have discussed, implantology is still very much a developing science.

Osseonews: What do you see as the next major paradigm shift in implant dentistry?

Dr. Shatkin: Immediate loading. More and more cases will be brought into immediate function. We are seeing the wide scale success of this now with the SDI systems. And I predict this trend will be exploding as more SDIâ€™s are placed and more and more dentists start placing them. Anyone performing implants should be seriously considering the use of SDIâ€™s in their practice.

Osseonews: If you were treatment planning a mandibular overdenture, would you place
4 SDI’s — 2 in each of the #22 and 27 areas?

Dr. Shatkin: Normally yes we place these between the mental foramina so around 22, 24,25 and 27 areas â€“ 4 SDIâ€™s.

Osseonews: If you were treatment planning a maxillary overdenture, what SDI implant
configuration would you use?

Dr. Shatkin: I usually place 4-6 SDIâ€™s between the bicuspids. I try to avoid the
posterior maxilla for overdentures. This traditionally has been one of the danger zones.

We are also having tremendous success using these for “roundhouse” â€“ fixed bridge
restorations using 10-12 miniâ€™s in each arch. We have almost 100% success as
do hundreds of dentists who have done this procedure using my F.I.R.S.T.
Technique.

Osseonews: How would you replace a maxillary central incisor? Maxillary lateral
incisor? Maxillary canine?

Dr. Shatkin: When replacing an incisor you want to use the longest mini implant possible as it is important for strength especially in the maxilla. We use the 2.5mm MDL or the 3.0mm MILO implant for these applications.

emax is a registered Trademark of Ivoclar/Vivadent.

MDL and MILO are registered Trademarks of Intra-Lock International.

Interview conducted by
Gary J. Kaplowitz, DDS, MA, M Ed, ABGD
Editor-in-Chief, Osseonews.com

31 Comments on Small Diameter Implants: New Developments

New comments are currently closed for this post.

Dale

1/16/2008

I would be interested in your succes rates for four mini implants in the maxilla for an overdenture. What are you opposing in the lower arch? How many years have these cases been in function. I cannot forsee long term succes with these implants in D-3 and D-4 bone using four small diammeter implants. The mandible is a different animal and I can see why they would work better in D-1 and D-2 bone. If you have some numbers, It would be great to see them. When you say round house having 100% succes are you referring to the prosthesis or the implants? Also, what are these cases opposing? natural teeth or plastic implant supported teeth?

Stephen Hadwin

1/18/2008

My name is Stephen J. Hadwin, EVP of IMTEC Corporation and co-inventor of the IMTEC MDI implant. The IMTEC MDIâ€™s changed the rules of the game for the dental profession when IMTEC introduced them in 1998. To the best of my knowledge, in 2002 the IMTEC MDI implant was the first implant approved by the FDA for long-term crown and bridge fixed restorations and as of January 2008, it is still the only implant that has this specific wording in an FDA 510k â€œIndications for Useâ€ statement. I do have a couple of questions for Dr. Todd E. Shatkin who I fear may be misleading the readers. Dr. Shatkin, you were asked: â€œwhere are the studies in the peer-reviewed literature to support the long-term use of SDIâ€™s?â€ With regard to his answer, I agree this was quite an effort to compile. My question to Dr. Shatkin is: â€œwere any Intra-Lock MDL implants included in this study?â€ Of the 2,500 IMTEC MDI implants you referenced in the Compendium study, how many did you report that fractured? You were also asked: â€œ....about the FDA, with regard to these MDL small diameter implantsâ€¦â€ and you responded, â€œIntended for Long-Term Intra-bony applications.â€ This is the approval that the dentists need to feel good when placing MDL implants for both denture stabilization and crown and bridge fixed restorations using the F.I.R.S.T. technique.â€ I inferred from your response that the Intra-Lock MDL implant is FDA approved for long-term crown and bridge fixed restorations. I feel you may have honestly implied that long-term â€œcrown and bridge fixed restorationsâ€ are included in Intra-Lockâ€™s most recent FDA 510k. I searched the FDA database and was unable to find long-term crown and bridge fixed restoration approval for any Intra-Lock MDL implant.

Todd Shatkin

1/18/2008

Dear Dale, Thanks for your comments and interest in the MDL System and the technique that I developed. I am happy to send you a copy of my studies and success rates in various areas of the mouth for different restorations using SDI's. I have placed more then 5000 mini implants over the past 7 years. Nearly 1/2 of these have been in the maxilla and 1/2 in the mandible. Of the 1/2 in the maxilla, about 1/2 of those were for upper denture retention. The success rates, while lower in the maxilla then the mandible are still exciting. I have had approximately 88% success with maxillary implants for overdentures. I usually place 6 in the maxilla and try to keep them anterior to the 2nd bicuspid. Over the past several years their has been skepticism about the use of mini implants for long term use. The FDA has now accepted 4 mini implant systems (to the best of my understanding) as indicated for long term. The specific language of the MDL approval is "indicated for intrabony long term applications". I use the MDL for variouls long term applications including overdentures, crowns and fixed bridge restorations. The success rates I have had with fixed restroations have been amazing (about 97%). My success in the maxillary overdenture with the MDL has been excellent due to the 2.5mm design. The MDL 2.5 is an actual 2.5mm implant design. This design makes the MDL stronger and provides more surface area for integration. The patented "Drive Lock" system makes placing these very simple. Dale, I don't know if you have tried any mini implant system but if you are considering this I would suggest the MDL. After trying different systems I feel this one is my facorite. In my opinion it is an excellent system for use with all types of restorations. If I can be of further assistance please feel free to contact me.

Todd Shatkin

1/19/2008

Dale, I forgot to respond to your question re: number of years. This study was over a 5 1/2 year period but I have now had 7 years experience with SDI's. Also, the round house cases are nearly 100% success of the implants and prosthesis. I have only had a couple implants fail under a roundhouse situation and I have placed about 40 roundhouse mini implant cases. Thanks, Todd

osseonews

1/25/2008

Since we have received several questions and comments regarding the FDA approval of the implant system mentioned in the above interview, we would like to call readers attention to the actual FDA 510-K, which is available here: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/pdf7/K070601.pdf This FDA document contains additional details regarding approved indications for use. For additional concerns or questions regarding mini implant systems and indications for use, we suggest contacting the FDA directly. Please note that OsseoNews.com has a strict Disclaimer and Terms of Use policy. By using this website you acknowledge that Disclaimer and agree to our Terms of Use. Click Here for our Terms of Use. As is discussed more fully in our disclaimer, the information provided here is for educational and informational purposes ONLY. If you are a dental, medical or other healthcare professional, you should exercise your professional judgment in evaluating any information, and we encourage you to confirm the information contained on our Web Site with other sources before undertaking any treatment based on it. The use of the Web Site is at your own risk and the Web Site and the content are provided on as â€œAS ISâ€ basis. Some information on our Web Site comes from you or from other users. We are not responsible for that information. We are not liable for any damages resulting from your use of the information on our Web Site. Click Here for our Full Disclaimer.

Benjamin D. Oppenheimer,

1/25/2008

I believe that it is very important for OsseoNewâ€™s readers to be accurately informed when it comes to Mini Dental Implants. Dr Todd Shatkin and his father are distributors of the Intra-Lock MDL dental implants and are treatment planning Intra-Lock MDL implants through their Shatkin First Labs for cases with long term crown and bridge treatment on Intra-Lock MDL implants. The Intra-Lock MDL system recently gained approval for market from the FDA for long term intra bony implantation for Maxillary and Mandibular denture stabilization only. They are not approved as he has stated in his interview for long term crown and bridge work. This recommendation puts doctors at a great deal of medical legal risk if they chose to unknowingly utilize an Intra-Lock MDL dental implant â€œoff labelâ€. To my knowledge the IMTEC Sendax MDI is the only mini dental implant with long term crown and bridge approval. The IMTEC Sendax MDI has over 20 years of clinical data on the patented insertion protocol and is the standard that all other mini dental implants are measured against. Anyone can search the FDA 510K database online for this information but I am providing it here verbatim: Intended Use: Mini Drive-Lock TM Dental Implants are intended for use as a self-tapping titanium screw for transitional or intra-bony long-term applications. Mini Drive-Lock TM Dental Implants are indicated for long-term maxillary and mandibular tissue-supported denture stabilization. Multiple implants should be used and may be restored after a period of time or placed in immediate function. There is no mention of Fixed Crown and Bridge restorations.

osseonews

1/25/2008

Please read our comment above where we actually posted a link to the 510K and provided some other important information about the usage of the information on this site. For the benefit of readers, here is the link again to the actual 510K from the FDA: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/pdf7/K070601.pdf

Todd Shatkin

1/26/2008

Yes my father owns and operates Samuel Shatkin FIRST, LLC Lab which does provide the same consulting services that he has provided for hundreds of dentists throughout the world over the past 4 years. He provides this service for dentists using any approved mini implant system on the market and not limited to one system. He is also a distributor of the Intra-Lock MDL system which is FDA approved for "Intra-bony Long Term Applications" and in addition has FDA Long Term acceptance for supporting Maxillary and Mandibular Dentures. Stephen Hadwin and Ben Oppenheimer and others are now hired by IMTEC, MDL is their competitor. I think it is important for readers to take all of this with a grain of salt as there is ongoing litigation between the parties. I wish we could just focus on what is best for our patients. I continue to practice full time in my Amherst, NY practice and I feel I am offering my patients the best mini implant system presently on the market. I have placed nearly 6000 mini implants over the past 7 years. I can tell you that from my experience the MDL seems to be stronger. I can also tell you that independent studies have also demonstrated the increased strength of the MDL when compared to a 1.8mm mini implant. I have been told that the reason for the increase in strength has to do with the design and the size of the implant. I believe this to be true. I wish all of the readers the best for a successful and happy 2008 and look forward to seeing you at upcoming seminars on the Mini Implants and FIRST Technique!

T Giorno

1/26/2008

So much heat for so little! FDA clears MDL implants for 'Long Term Intra-Bony Applications" it means in plain english "that the implant is to be placed in bone for long term applications". The applications are the prosthetic devices, attached to those so called implants. Who is is this guy who questions Crown & Bridge applications? May be he has a way to do it without implants inside bone? Let's be serious! Abusive posts should be removed.

Todd Shatkin

1/26/2008

Dr. Giorno, Thank you for clearing this up. Of course I'm sure you know that Ben Oppenheimer (the grandson of my father and my nephew) works for IMTEC Corp as does Stephen Hadwin. These are blatent attempts to hurt the sale of MDL implants. I have tried to give an accurate interview and I believe that everything that I said in the interview is true. Hopefully the readers will realize that there are ongoing legal disputes between these companies and will focus on the best treatments and procedures for their patients. That is what I'm interested in. Thanks!!

Stephen Hadwin

1/26/2008

Dr. Shatkin, I have not and will not discourage anyone to use any approved mini dental implant system. I strongly believe a mini dental implant system is a great service to patients when used correctly. There are several systems to chose from and all systems have a special niche that appeal to each doctor, including the Intra-Lock MDL. I reviewed my post again and did not find any language that would or should hurt MDL sales. I did ask three questions, (1) How many Intra-Lock MDL implants were used in your Compendium study?, (2) How many IMTEC MDI implants did you fracture in this study?, and (3)your opinion of the FDA indications of use. These are not tough questions nor do they influence a doctor to not purchase an Intra-Lock MDL implant. The questions if answered truthfully were intended to prevent a doctor from not purchasing an IMTEC MDI implant based on your interview. I can answer #1 & #2 if you like, but Door #3 your are on your own. I was happy to see you change your language concerning strength of the IMTEC MDI system being significantly inferior to the Intra-Lock MDL. In your most recent response the 2.0mm now only SEEMS to be stronger, not significantly stronger as earlier stated in your interview. I did take exception to your use of the strength and fracture statement in the interview, in a attempt to influence a prospective customer to purchase a 2.0mm implant when in same interview you tout the success of the IMTEC MDI implants in your Compendium study. Stephen Hadwin, EVP IMTEC Corporation

Todd Shatkin

1/26/2008

As you know very well there is ongoing litigation in this matter and I'm sure whatever is said on this post will end up in court. That being said, I have offered copies of my article of over 2500 mini implants placed over 5 1/2 years to anyone who contacts me. Furthermore Osseonews and Intra-Lock have all of the FDA infomation available through the links above. Dentists can choose to evaluate what it means to be "substantially equivalent" and what "Long Term Intra-Bony applications" means and can make there own decisions on which FDA accepted Long Term mini implant to use. This is one of the great things about being a dentist. There are always alot of products to choose from and we can determine which ones work best in our hands. I have simply stated that after nearly 8 years of experience placing mini implants the MDL works best in my hands and according to independent studies the 2.0 mm MDL is significantly stronger then the 1.8mm MDI and the 2.5 mm MDL is significantly stronger then the MDI Max. Again these are not my studies, these are independent tested lab studies which I have seen. I encourage anyone who doubts these results to hire an independent lab and do similar testing. I'm sure IMTEC has the ability to do these tests as do other mini implant companies.

Lee

1/31/2008

Hi Dr. Shatkin, So are you not using IMTEC mini implant anymore? I attended your course in 2006 in Auckland, New Zealand where you did lecture on FIRST technique using IMTEC mini implant. What's happening to the FIRST lab in Melbourne for Australia/New Zealand dentists? Are they using MDL system as well now?

Todd Shatkin

2/2/2008

Dear Lee, Nice to hear from you! I have switched to the MDL system for a number of reasons as outlined above. You can contact Neil and Elaine Race in Melbourne for information about the lab there. They continue to offer all of the products and services we discussed when i was there. If you have further questions or concerns please feel free to contact me directly. Thanks, Todd

Todd Shatkin

2/9/2008

Dear Readers, I just completed teaching a program in New York City to over 200 Dentists who were so excited about the mini implant concept for denture retention and single and multiple tooth replacement! Thank you to all who attended this great weekend!

helmut bacher

2/19/2008

hello team, i am a MSEE and feel that there should exist a solution to hold "full dentures with implants of 1.5 MM.i have a feeling you know the "state of the art answer".the average implant specialists want to put a "power station" in your mouth which is an overdesign at best.3 1.5MM implants should be optimum according to a force analysis.i woul appriciate your opinion. best regards, helmut bacher brookings , oregon

2/21/2008

it is my experience, and I have also been told by users of the mini-implants that they expect one to two implants to always fail when used to retain dentures. They also said there are a limited applications for bridge and crown work. They told me that the mini-implant company they use (not to mention any names) keeps pushing them to use them forthis application. They tried a few cases and followed the correct protocol and had the rep present...the result was not satisfactory and they are now starting to see loading problems in the bone structure. I am a believer that minis have their place in certain applications, however the FDA is catching a lot a bad press since they have been very lax in their approval methods in the past 5 yrs. As clinicians, we need to go back to the basics when selecting the right products to use on our patients. The problem is that we are so busy these days that we aren't taking the time to do our own research, and that leads us to believe everything the company tell us. Companys are in business to make money. And that is what they care about. We need to be better at our jobs by finding out for ourselves.

Dr. JB

2/26/2008

Measurement of the Fatigue Life of Mini Dental Implants: A Pilot Study Authors: Flanagan, Dennis, Ilies, Horea, McCullough, Paul, McQuoid, Scott DOI:10.1563/1548-1336(2008)34[7:MOTFLO]2.0.CO;2 Journal 2008: Journal of Oral Implantology Issn: 1548-1336 Volume: 34 Issue: 1 Pages: 7-11 The fatigue life of mini or small-diameter dental implants is of particular interest because these implants are used to retain and support fixed and removable dental prostheses. The fatigue life of an implant depends on both the implant itself as well as on the physical properties of the bone. However, the capability to predict the fatigue life of a newly placed implant is currently inexistent. This pilot study represents the first step in developing such a methodology and focuses on the design of a cost-effective device to measure the fatigue life of a dental implant. In our measurements, the implant has been mounted in an essentially rigid support, but test specimens can also be bone mounted in vitro. Furthermore, we developed a finite element-based computer model capable of predicting the corresponding fatigue life. The finite element analysis was performed in ABAQUS, and the results predicted by the model correlated fairly well with our initial experimental results. Most of the 2-mm diameter implants fractured after more than a million cycles.

Dr.Amayev

2/27/2008

By reading above comments about MDI all I can say that you can't place them. I don't work for IMTEC I am independent dentist, I been placing MDI for 5 years and with 95% excellent result on the Maxilla and Mandible. 6 on top and 4 on bottom for people who don't know. Also this is not true that when you place MDI you always will get 1 or 2 fail implants, that absurd. I don't know what "expert" said that???? I've been placing both type of implants and if I have good quality of bone the I will place MDI. I use MDI for overdenture only I don't use them for fix cases. But sometimes patients presented with very narrow space between teeth, and I believe that will be a good choice to use.

Todd Shatkin

2/28/2008

Very Happy to see some good discussion here on the site! Fact remains, thousands of mini implants are placed every day with excellent success short term and long term. The MDL is a very strong mini implant which is suitable for long term intra bony applications according to the FDA. And this mini implant system is accepted for immediate loading. I truly hope any skeptics out there will at least give it a try because it offers your patients so many options which they may not know about. It is our duty as professionals to offer options to our patients, even if we don't perform a procedure we need them to be aware of the options out there. Best to all!

Dr SDJ

3/6/2008

From the pro and con arguments above and all comparative posts, one can understand that when it come to implants (or any commercially sold product for that matter) everything works! Cost, convenience and after sales service are the only deciding factors. Then why buy the costliest implant system? Buy that product which suits you. Period!

tina

3/12/2008

I have a question to whom ever would like to answer it (correctly). How does or should I say what is the correct procedure a dentist is supposed to follow to determine the exact size size implant to use on a patient. They must have in writing somewhere in the dental manuals how to determine the size implant to use. I am sure that there is more than one determining factor and I would like to know if the size of the jaw of a patient has anything to do with it. thank-you

Todd Shatkin

4/1/2008

Answer: The dentists who perform the mini implants have been specially trained on how to use the system and have knowledge on proper measuring procedures to determine the correct size and style implant to use. If the dentist wants advise and/or consultation a number of dentists including myself and my father Samuel Shatkin, DDS, MD offer these services complimentary to dentists who place mini implants.

Joel

4/18/2008

I just had extracted my broken upper left molar. I was told it is too close to sinius. Would your implant be suitable for a molar?

Judy Turner

4/22/2008

Hi I have a question> My daughter has two teeth (baby) that have no teethcoming in to replace them. The dental surgeon said that there is not enough room to place implants. Would she be a candidate for mini implants? If not can you suggest anything that can be done other than bridges? Thanks Judy

Todd Shatkin

4/27/2008

To answer the 2 questions above. It seems that both of you are candidates for the mini implants. I would have to see an xray to fully advise you of the appropriate procedure and I Would be happy to do so if you wish to forward an xray to me at tshatkin@minidentalimplants.com. There are numerous sizes and styles of mini implants from which to choose in order to avoid the sinus area etc... Thanks for your interest! Todd Shatkin, DDS

Rose Impoco

7/16/2008

Hi I have recently went to a new dentist-who advertised mini implants to hold dentures in place. I went to see if I could use this procedure to replace the conventional implants-because I do not want the sinus lift I need before they can be implanted. On my upper right side I have no teeth after my eye tooth. My partial is torture! It is a flapper with the thick plastic in my roof. This dentist seemed to think the minis would work fine. Is this something you would agree with? Do you have a dentist you would refer me to? I live in Massachusetts. Your help is greatly appreciated. THANK YOU, Sincerely Rose Impoco

Jim Scott

10/16/2008

I would like to know what dentists use the mdl system in the south jersey area.

R. Hughes

10/17/2008

JOEL, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A SOCKET LIFT WITH GRAFT AND LATER FOLLOW WITH AN IMPLANT.

R. Hughes

10/17/2008

Judy Turner, Here are some rules of thumb about root form implants and children. This is still a gray area! Here they are: First the patient should be mentally mature, so they can understand the process. Second, sometimes orthodontic treatment is necessary prior to implant treatment. Third, Diagnosis of growth has to be performed, usually complete in girls by 15 to 17 and 17 to 19 in boys, yet boys with a protruding lower jaw get cranked up at about 19 to 21 and facial growth actually continues to about 24. To confuse you even more it is stated that in the upper front you can place implants after 14 and in the back it's 15 for the lower and 17 for the upper. So an orthodontic consult is every bit as important as a surgical/prosthetic consult.

APA

12/27/2009

I have read extensively on the topic of Implants. After a good analytical assessment of the postings and their content, it became clear to me that, in this battle of "conventional" versus "Mini," economics are the ruling element. I concluded that, undoubtedly, minis are the answer for my needs, at all levels. Doctors, my question now is: Based on your experience, research and client feedback, which one is the best--the most effective and functional min-implants in the market, for a Maxilla denture/implants? Antonio

Small Diameter Implants: New Developments

31 Comments on Small Diameter Implants: New Developments

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