Single tooth replacement, can you pick wich tooth is the implant? Single tooth with mini implant and permanent porcelain crown $2900. (A cheaper option is to have white composite resin crown $1900 however this is considerd a temporary solution and will require a permanent crown in the future)
Conventional implant single tooth $4000.


Converting a large upper plate to a new minimal shape using mini implants including new high strength plate approx $7000




4 front teeth missing and wanting to get rid of the old partial denture to have something that looks and feels natural, fee range for this using 4 mini implants and permanent porcelain bridge $8000 - $9000. Using conventional implants $12,000 with the Smile Studio




2 missing front teeth fee for mini implants with permanent porcelain crowns approx $5000
Dental Implants, Mini Implants and Hybrid Implants

Dental implants are changing the lives of people who are missing teeth throughout the world. Dr Adam Doudney has been helping patients replace missing teeth with the closest solution to having natural teeth, or stabilising dentures for denture wearers by using conventional (standard) implants and the newer mini implants. Implant dentistry is the most successful treatment solution for missing teeth and often the only solution for denture wearers to get maximum satisfaction.

Dr Adam Doudney is committed to being able to supply dental implant treatment at a much more affordable price to allow more people benefit from such a great dental solution

More than 400,000 people in New Zealand are edentulous (missing teeth) and around 90% of this group report problems related to wearing dentures.
 
What are dental implants?
 

Dental implants are titanium or titanium alloy screws that are placed into the jaw. This type of screw is accepted by the jaw and fuses to it making it very firm like a natural tooth. We then place on top of the screw either a crown for replacing teeth, or a type of attachment that allows removable teeth (dentures) to clip onto.
 
How implants are used?
 

Implants are used to replace missing teeth by several methods:

one

Replacing single missing teeth: on top of the implant we place a crown that is usually fused to the implant head so it will not move and is the closest thing to having natural teeth again.

 

Implant AIMplant B
Implant CImplant D

two

Replacing several teeth in a row: on top of the implants we can place a bridge which is usually fused to the implants so they can not be removed, and this is the closest thing to having natural teeth again, OR if there are several gaps and cost is a factor we can use a partial denture which clips onto the implants to make it very firm and easy to function.

Bridge ABridge B
Bridge CBridge D

three

Under dentures we can place some implants and have the denture modified to contain attachment devices that clip onto the implants therefore making them very firm and easy to function with. The dentures are removable for cleaning. When we do this under upper dentures we can remove a lot of the bulk of acrylic which covers the palate to make the denture much smaller.

Bridge C
 
Types of dental implants.
 

There are several types of dental implants including “conventional implants”, “mini implants” and the new “hybrid implant”.

The difference is the names is due to the size of the implant. Any implants with 3mm or greater diameter are classified as conventional implants, anything under 3mm is classified as mini implants.

The new hybrid implant is a large mini implant (2.9mm) that aims to exploit the best characteristics of both types of implant.

 Mini implant
 
What are the main advantages of a conventional implant?

The conventional implant is wider and the wider an implant the more resistance to sideways forces it has. This is the main advantage of conventional implants.

The other advantage is that it has been used in dentistry for over 30 years so we have a good track record and studies.

The main disadvantages is the price, they do take longer to complete and the surgery component is more involved. Also if there was a failure it can leave a larger bone loss than mini implants.
 
What are the main advantages of mini implants?
 

Mini implants being smaller get away with a more conservative approach, they need less bone and are therefore more likely to not need bone grafting to get enough bone. The surgery component is very minimal.

Mini implants are much cheaper than conventional implants.

Mini implants usually have a quicker process, with a tooth being placed on the implant immediately. If a failure occurs it is usually less of a problem.

The main disadvantage of mini implant s is that they have been FDA approved for long term use only since 1999 so they have a less track record than conventional plants. When used in molar areas we would often use 2 mini implants per tooth to handle the forces required (we do not charge extra for using 2 mini implants for the tooth).also with multiple mini implants under bridgework they may take a little longer to clean during routine brushing and flossing.
 
What do you recommend?
 

We enjoy placing and using conventional and mini implants, however due to the longer track record of conventional implants and their larger size we recommend them over mini implants.

What we say to patients “If you can afford conventional implants, are fine with the time period required and surgery involved then let’s do a conventional implant."

If you want something faster and cheaper or you have medical or bone limitations then we will look at a hybrid or mini implants for you”.
 
How long will implants last?
 

Implants generally last 10-20 years, depending on the location of the implant and patient compliance with oral hygiene and dental visits.

Because molars receive more stress and wear, these implants typically do not last as long as implants located at the front of the mouth.
 
What if there is a failure?
 

Implant failure is rare but if an implant did fail it will become loose and require removal as soon as possible to minimise bone loss.

Failure due to non integration with the jaw can be due to different reasons such as poor quality bone, poor blood supply, medications, health issues, overloading etc. This kind of failure almost always happens in the first 6 months after implant placement. We have a replacement warrantee double that length of 1 year as long as the recommended recalls for us to check the implants are kept. We would consider the situation and either wait for healing and replace the implant for free or put the investment into that implant towards another option.

With multiple implant cases often more than is required implants are placed so if there was by chance some failure there would still be no need to be concerned or replace the implant.

If for whatever reason we cannot replace the implant or there are no other replacement options we may need to refund the money spent on the failed implant.
What complications can happen?
 

Complications of implant surgery include bleeding, infection and injury to nerves, sinuses (located above your upper teeth) or nasal cavity.

When implants are used to replace lower teeth, your dentist could nick the nerve that runs through the jawbone during drilling. This can cause pain or numbness. If numbness occurs, it usually affects the lower part of the lip and chin or one side of the tongue. It can last for several months until the nerve heals or it may be permanent.

In the upper jaw, there is the possibility of drilling through the jawbone into one of your sinuses or nasal cavity, which could result in an infection. To avoid this, special X-rays will be taken prior to your surgery will help the surgeon to determine where the nerves, sinuses and nasal cavity are located.
 
About Dr Adam Doudney
 

Dr Adam Doudney graduated from Otago Dental School in 1993 and worked as a dental house surgeon in Otago Dental School and Dunedin Public Hospital, followed by working in the Australian Public Hospital sector. He has been working as a private dental surgeon in Orewa, Auckland since 1996.

His interest in implants started in 2006 and has now become one of the leading mini implantologists in NZ.

He currently writes implant articles for well known dental magazine "Australasian Dental Practice", helping educate dentists about mini implant treatment in Australasia (Click here to read latest article). Also presenter to dentists about mini implants in the annual Lumino conference.

Dr Doudney has been restoring conventional implants since the 1990's however started also offering the implant surgery for conventional implants in 2008; this allows him to be able to provide conventional implant treatment at a lower fee for patients.

Download our Mini-Implant brochure here...