Dr. Samuel E. Worthington has good news for all those needing dental implants.

Worthington Family Dentistry, located at 2804-B N. Oak St. in Valdosta, now offers the new IMTEC Mini Dental Implant.

Not only is the new technology smaller, it costs less than patients could expect to pay for conventional implants, Worthington said.

The use of mini dental implants, also known as MDI implants, was pioneered by New York dentist Victor I. Sendax over 20 years ago, according to IMTEC promotional literature. The implants are ultra-small, biocompatible titanium alloy implant screws, made of grade five titanium, the same material used in other prosthetics, like artificial hips and knees, Worthington said. This material has a long and safe history and is well tolerated by most patients, he added.

The mini dental implants are better suited to older patients who may have bone loss because of their age. They can be inserted in a much smaller area. They are self-setting, which means the bone around the implant site condenses as they are inserted, making for a more secure fit. Patients can eat and chew normally immediately following the procedure, Worthington said.

Conventional implants take much longer to set and become usable, require a larger insertion area, and a much longer process. They can also cost more.

The new mini implants average one third to one half the cost of traditional implants. With an existing denture, an implant can be done for around $3,200.

Before inserting a mini implant, Worthington said he drills a small pilot hole with a standard dentist drill. From the time he removes each individual implant from its sterile package, he has about 20 seconds to insert it in the patient’s cortical plate to ensure sterility. He then twists the mini implant in by hand, using several attachments to make it easier to hold and adjust to the proper depth and tension.

 No chemical cements are used in the procedure, which takes between five and 20 minutes. It takes longer to fit a patient’s dentures onto the implants than to insert the implants themselves, he said.

The head of each implant is ball-shaped, and the retaining fixture acts like a socket. An o-ring snaps over the ball when the denture is seated and holds the denture at a predetermined level of force, he said. When seated, the denture gently rests on the patient’s gum tissue. The retaining fixtures allow for vertical movement while withstanding natural lifting forces.

Advantages of the mini dental implants include the following:

• They are immediately loading.

• They are minimally invasive.

• The procedure involves only a one-hour, one-stage denture stabilization.

• The procedure utilizes a five-step technique compared to typical 30-step procedures for conventional implants.

• They may be used as temporary or long-term fixtures.

• The procedure is extremely well-tolerated, efficient and timely for the patient.

• They can be easily delivered at a reasonable cost to the dentist and patient.

• They are ideal for patients who cannot afford or tolerate a conventional implant procedure.

• They come with a five-year, limited warranty.

Although the implants are fairly easy to clean, a special toothbrush is available to help keep them clean, Worthington said. It has curved bristles with built-in memory that make it easier to remove plaque and debris from implant prosthetics while gently stimulating surrounding tissue.

Worthington has practiced general dentistry in Valdosta for eight years. His office welcomes patients of all ages. He does cleanings, fillings, root canals, caps, extractions, tooth-colored fillings, digital radiography, tooth whitening, crowns and veneers, dentures and partials, bridges — “everything from birth until dentures,” he said.

Worthington is an honor graduate of Valdosta State University and Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry. He is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry, American Dental Association and Georgia Dental Association.

Worthington is on staff at both South Georgia Medical Center and Smith Northview Hospital. In addition to general dentistry, he performs hospital dentistry on children and adults who have severe dental problems that cannot be treated in a traditional office setting. Medicaid, Peach State, and WellCare are currently the only insurance  programs that cover hospital dentistry, he said.

Worthington Family Dentistry offers payment plans to qualified patients through Capital One Healthcare Finance, he said. The practice accepts and file claims to all insurances, including Tricare, Medicaid, PeachCare, and WellCare.

Office hours for Worthington Family Dentistry are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. It is closed from 12:30 p.m. until 2 p.m. every day for lunch, and it is closed on Friday. There is a 24-hour phone line number for after hours emergencies, he said.

Worthington grew up in Waycross,  a small town on the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp. An Eagle Scout, he is still active in Scouting as an adult leader. He and his wife, Amy, have two children, Emma, 8, and Avery, 1. In his spare time, he said he enjoys spear fishing, saltwater fishing and scuba diving.

To learn more call (229) 242-0063 or visit www.worthingtonfamilydentistry.com.