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Affordable Alternatives to Dental Implants in Butler, PA

Alternatives to Dental Implants in Butler, PA | Mini Dental Implants

One of the most effective methods to replace missing teeth is dental implant treatment. These titanium screws secure in your jawbone, anchoring crown, bridge, or denture restorations to restore your smile! Thanks to their incredible stability, these implants allow you to chew and speak effectively, without worrying about slipping restorations or loose dentures. However, conventional dental implants are notoriously expensive, making them inaccessible to those on a budget! Fortunately, Brockley Dental Center offers affordable alternatives to dental implants that allow patients like you to restore their smiles without the hassle.

Introducing: Mini dental implants!

The Issue With Dental Implants

Conventional dental implants are large titanium screws that secure in your jaw to replace missing teeth. These implants are incredibly effective, as they’re made of a durable titanium material that bonds with your bone over time. This stable connection allows dental implants to secure your smile in place, far surpassing other traditional tooth replacement methods.

Alternatives to Dental Implants in Butler, PA | Mini Dental ImplantsHowever, these implants come with a few important disadvantages that many patients can’t ignore.

Conventional implants are around 5 millimeters in diameter, requiring ample bone structure for support. Unfortunately, many patients lack the necessary jawbone to secure these implants, as tooth loss has a direct effect on bone density. When you lose teeth, you lose their roots that were responsible for promoting bone health. As your bone deteriorates, you’ll have less and less bone available to support dental implants!

In many cases, patients will require additional procedures to rebuild lost bone before conventional implant treatment. These procedures add to both the cost and length of your implant process. Additionally, these implants have multiple components to their structure. With each titanium piece comes a separate fee, as well as a placement appointment that adds to the price of your procedure.

Fortunately, Brockley Dental Center offers a more accessible and more affordable alternative to conventional dental implants with mini dental implants!

Alternatives to Dental Implants: The Mini Implant Difference

Mini dental implants are the small and sleek version of conventional dental implants.

Not only are these titanium posts about half their size, but they also feature a unique one-piece design that allows for simpler placement. Rather than requiring ample bone structure and invasive procedures, mini implants secure even in minimal bone!

The process is simple. First, we begin with a local anesthetic to keep you comfortable. Then, we create a small pilot hole in your gums and jaw to gently screw your implant in place. Once in your bone, these titanium posts become instantly stable in your jaw!

With fewer components and a simpler procedure, mini implants are much more accessible to those with minimal bone structure or on a budget.

Mini Dental Implant Benefits

Besides their lower price, mini implants offer a range of additional advantages that make them the ideal method for tooth replacement. These advantages include:

  • Minimally invasive: Unlike conventional dental implants, mini implants don’t require any incisions or stitches. Thanks to their minimally invasive approach, patients looking to avoid invasive procedures and long healing periods can enjoy a quick and effective tooth replacement.
  • Faster healing: Due to their gentle placement process, mini implants disturb less of the surrounding tissues, facilitating a much faster healing process. Rather than waiting months to secure a restoration on your implants, mini implants heal in just a few weeks!
  • Immediate stability: Instantly after placement, mini implants are stable enough to support a temporary, or even final, restoration. Thanks to their one-piece design, we restore your smile in just one day, without long healing periods in between parts.
  • Lower infection risk: Dental implants with multiple components have small crevices between parts that act as bacterial breeding grounds. The buildup of bacteria can lead to infections, such as peri-implantitis, which may potentially result in implant failure. Mini implants significantly reduce the risk of infection, as they have no spaces for bacteria to gather.

With lower prices, faster healing, and a less invasive procedure, mini implants are an incredible alternative to conventional dental implants!

Explore Alternatives to Mini Dental Implants

Conventional dental implants are an effective tooth replacement method. However, many patients are ineligible for conventional implants, as they have lost significant bone structure. Fortunately, Brockley Dental Center offers alternatives to dental implants that restore your smile affordably, even without additional procedures to rebuild bone.

Book a consultation today to learn if mini implants are the right choice for your smile!

Follow Brockley Dental Center on Instagram and Facebook to explore our implant-supported restorations. 

Donald B. Brockley, DMD

Dr. Brockley earned his doctorate degree in Dental Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine in 1972. He is a second generation dentist and a legacy of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine where his father, Dr. Charles R. Brockley earned his doctorate in general dentistry in the year 1927. While attending the University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine, he held the office of Class Secretary for his graduating class. Following dental school, he chose to do his residency training at Wilmington Medical Center in Wilmington, Delaware, with a focus on research. Upon completing his residency, Dr. Brockley enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnam War Era as a Naval Officer. Dr. Brockley opened his own private practice 1975 in Butler, PA a historic town just 34 miles north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Brockley held the office of President of the Butler County Dental Society. After many years of practice, Dr. Brockley realized that fear is the #1 reason why people do not visit their dentist regularly. Therefore, he made it his mission to find an alternative way to practice (and to help his patients overcome this fear). This alternative was through Sedation Dentistry. In 1996 he became trained in Conscious Oral Sedation. This technique allowed him to treat fearful patients by gently putting them to sleep with the aid of a pill, not needle IV sedation which was the popular treatment at that time. Dr. Brockley received his dental training at the following institutions: University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA Tufts University, School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA University of North Carolina, School of Dentistry, Raleigh, NC Mini Dental Implant Training Centre, Buffalo, NY. Due to the high number of patients who are diabetic in his practice, his next goal was to understand the impact of Diabetes in Dentistry. Due to the subset of Diabetic patients in his practice who had similar recurring oral and systemic health problems, special attention became warranted. This led to a different standard of care and treatment for patients whose health was compromised by diabetes. Early detection, observation, evaluation and treatment to eradicate infection plays a major role in maintaining oral health for diabetic patients. Poorly managed treatment for diabetic patients has been shown to lead to a higher risk of uncontrolled gum disease and vice versa, making prevention of gum disease the #1 priority for this subset of patients. Dr. Brockley’s research on dentistry for diabetics led him to his next specialization: the treatment and eradication of gum disease. His aim has been to change the the treatment of gum disease, also known as periodontal disease. For this reason, he designed a radically different protocol to the Soft Tissue Management (STM) program. STM treats the symptoms of gum disease, and more importantly, the underlying cause of gum disease, bacteria. Studies have shown that gum disease affects 80% of American adults. However, Dr. Brockley has observed that more than 90% of his baby boomer patients have gum disease. His unique STM protocol has shown significant success within his patient population. With patient knowledge, understanding, and cooperation, Dr. Brockley is able to arrest and manage gum disease in his practice. After perfecting his procedures for crowns, bridges, partials and dentures to replace missing teeth, the introduction of Small Diameter Implants (also known as SDI or Mini Dental Implants) into his practice has revolutionized the way Dr. Brockley practices cosmetic dentistry. Small Diameter Implants provide the possibility of full mouth restoration, multiple teeth restoration, or single tooth restoration. Small Diameter Implants can be implemented in all types of tooth and bone conditions, in all ages, and in all types of health conditions. Dr. Brockley uses Small Diameter Implants to restore chewing ability and create beautiful smiles, which ultimately changes peoples’ lives. Dr. Brockley is the proud owner and operator of the first Mini Dental Implant Center of America in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Dr. Brockley has achieved Diplomate status in the International Academy of Mini Dental Implants. He is the President Emeritus of the Butler County Dental Society. Dr. Brockley was also a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps. He is a a lifetime member of the Delta Sigma Dental Fraternity, and he was the Class Secretary for the University of Pittsburgh Dental School. Dr. Brockley likes to spend time with his family at home or while traveling, has been an avid scuba diver since 1980, and describes himself as a “just okay” golfer.

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