Small-Diameter Implants Increasingly Popular
Massachusetts-based Millennium Research Group recently found that the market for small-diameter (less than 3.0 mm) dental implants grew by more than 30% in the United States during 2007, outpacing regular-diameter dental implants. Patients often prefer the small-diameter to large-diameter dental implants because they involve less surgical time and are a more cost-effective option. Also, small-diamater dental implants usually require fewer steps to place and can be placed noninvasively, making them a simpler solution.
Only a limited number of manufacturers presently make FDA approved small-diameter dental implants, although it is expected that the market will expand substantially over the next five years.