Despite the advantages of the mini dental implants, evidence on their efficacy and long-term success is lacking. The success of these implants will depend on their union with the surrounding bone. New implant systems entering into the market have to be studied with the help of animal models first, to demonstrate the osseointegration potential for their probable success in humans. There is a limited evidence regarding the 3M^™ESPE^™ MDIs. Therefore, there is a need for an animal study to explore the osseointegration of these implants to assist in better understanding of the treatment selection, prognosis, and outcomes for the patients.

The objective of this study is to compare bone apposition on the surface of mini dental implants and standard implants by means of histomorphometric methods.