Dental Implants Metal Allergy

Dental Implants Metal Allergy

First created in the early 1960s, dental implants have revolutionized the options surrounding tooth replacement for partially and even fully edentulous patients. Offering marked improvements upon the primary tooth replacement of the past, the conventional denture, dental implants effectively solve many of the problems experienced by users of conventional dentures, including limited stability and strength, uncomfortable bulkiness, lack of durability, and even deterioration of the jaw due to a decrease in bone health.

Typically made of titanium in recognition of that material’s impressive strength and extreme biocompatibility, dental implants are the ideal solution for many patients. A small percentage of the population, though, suffers from the kinds of metal allergies that make titanium implants impossible. For these patients, a new form of dental implant has been created: the zirconia implant.

Signs and Symptoms of a Metal Allergy

Allergies of all kinds involve an immune response by a body that encounters something that it codes as a dangerous invader that it must attack and vanquish. This is a helpful bodily response when that invader is a harmful virus or bacteria, but it is an unwelcome and at times distressing response when it is something that the person has willingly introduced to their body, such as a food, drink, or internal medical device.

For the small percentage of people that are allergic to metals (most commonly nickel and less commonly cobalt or chromium), exposure to these substances against the skin can cause an uncomfortable reaction, either in the form of an itchy rash or a more serious form of contact dermatitis. Those who are allergic to nickel, for example, might develop a rash upon wearing a pair of nickel earrings for an hour or a day. More concerningly, exposure to these substances inside of the body can lead to more troubling reactions, such as rashes, swelling, and even the body attempting to physically dispel the metal object. While vomiting might be an attempt by the body to expel a food that one is allergic to, expulsions of a medical device such as a dental implant often require medical intervention to safely remove the offending object.

Determining or Confirming an Allergy to Metal Implants

If you are a patient interested in dental implants and suspect that you may have a metal allergy that could affect your candidacy for titanium implants, it is a good idea to have a MELISA test done to screen you for metal sensitivities. While only 3% of men suffer from metal allergies, nearly 17% of women do, so it is particularly recommended that women interested in titanium implants undergo this testing. Not only will this give you good information about which kind of dental implant is most appropriate for you, it will also help you to avoid these metals in a more general way in the future, saving you some headaches (or at least some uncomfortable rashes).

Chances are, you’ll be able to tolerate titanium along with the vast majority of the population. But if you do have a metal allergy, don’t distress: there are dental implant options for you, too!

Zirconia Dental Implants

Zirconia is a form of ceramic that, like titanium, is very strong, hypoallergenic, and extremely biocompatible, capable of creating a durable bond with human bone. This is an important consideration in a dental appliance like a dental implant, which is surgically inserted into the jawbone to become a permanent part of the bony oral structure.

In all the important ways, zirconia implants work much like titanium implants, though the number of parts may vary somewhat as zirconia implants tend to be made more commonly in one- or two-piece rather than three-piece systems, as titanium implants are.

They include an implant fixture that is inserted into the jawbone and an intermediary part or piece that then connects with the prosthetic crown or other appliance that it holds. The key difference is the material with which they are made, though placement strategies can also differ somewhat.

Benefits of Zirconia Implants

In addition to serving as an implant option for those who are allergic to titanium, zirconia implants offer several marked benefits.

Because they composed of a ceramic material rather than a metal, they have some improved qualities as pertaining to both heat conduction and corrosion. As a non-metal, zirconia implants do not transfer heat as readily as titanium implants do, which can lead to an increased ability to continue enjoying hot foods and beverages. Likewise, zirconia implants are less prone to corrosion as compared to titanium implants, which is a real benefit in an internal medical device.

Due to the structural properties of zirconia, which is smoother than titanium, zirconia implants are also less prone to plaque and tartar build up. Not only does this lead to fresher breath, a brighter smile, and quicker trips to the dentist, this also means less chance of developing gum disease, which takes begins to take root when plaque and tartar build-up on one’s teeth begin to infect the neighboring soft tissues of the gums. In this way, zirconia implants can lead to improved gum health by reducing the damage done by plaque and tartar on your teeth.

Finally, zirconia offers some notable aesthetic advantages in this application. As a ceramic material, zirconia is naturally white; the color of one’s teeth. This means that for those with zirconia implants, there is no tell-tale flash of silver at the gumline that could possibly give your implants away; they look just as natural as your original teeth.

Drawbacks of Zirconia Implants

While zirconia implants are therefore a good option for those who have an allergy to titanium, they are still not recommended as highly for the general population because while they are strong, they are not quite as strong as titanium, which can result in more fractures requiring repair over time. Furthermore, they simply haven’t been studied and tested for as long as titanium implants have been, which means that long-term studies on effectiveness and longevity are not available at this time. For those with metal allergies, though, zirconia implants are a safe, effective, and welcome solution with many benefits of their own.