A Brief History of the MDI

Mini Dental Implants have become more accepted and widely used over the past few years. Although originally developed by Dr. Victor I. Sendax to secure fixed prostheses, Dr. Ron Bulard of the IMTEC Corporation envisioned the MDI as a fantastic solution to stabilize removable prosthetics. It wasn't until Dr. Bulard and IMTEC created the O-Ball and Housing for the MDI, that a practical solution for removable prostheses was realized.

The MDI has began a reverse evolution. As implant dentistry has come of age (i.e. cosmetic dentistry) it has become patient driven. Patients are becoming more aware of minimally invasive techniques. With the MDI, minimally invasive dentistry has spilled over into the realm of dental implants.

For a number of years, MDI's have been used in fixed applications with great success (see my journal article links on this page!). The IMTEC-Sendax MDI has enjoyed FDA approval for long term use for both fixed and removable applications. This means that crown and bridgework can be cemented directly to the abutment portion of the MDI.

The flexibility of the MDI allows use in areas that are anatomically not possible with conventional larger diameter implants without grafting or lift procedures. The real issue is that these procedures are typically not minimally invasive, and many patients (especially the older and medically compromised) are not candidates. There are very few contraindications for the use of MDI's, which I review in my article "A New Smile In Two Visits." In that paper I also discuss the steps required to convert a full denture to full bridgework quickly and affordably.

As an independent consultant for IMTEC and F.I.R.S.T. Labs I can assist you with case planning, including: implant selection, type, style, number and position. I can also help you determine the type of restoration, as well as different treatment options that might be available to you.

Call me directly at 716-435-9225 or through F.I.R.S.T. Labs at 1-877-4MDI-LAB for a free consultation. You can also go to http://www.mdifirst.com/ for more information. Or send me an email at Ben@MDIGuy.com or Ben@DrMDI.com.

Please feel free to post any questions that you may have about the MDI or your specific cases and I will answer them as soon as I can! Just see the comments link below...

Thanks,

Dr. Ben