Zirconia Dental Implants

Zirconia Dental Implants

Since they were first created in the early 1960s, dental implants have long counted on the strength, durability, and biocompatibility of titanium in the construction of their various parts. Titanium is ideal in the majority of cases and is generally very well tolerated with little risk of allergy or rejection. A small percentage of the population, however, is indeed allergic or sensitive to titanium; these are often the same people who suffer from allergies to other metals such as nickel and cobalt.

For those who have known metal allergies or sensitivities, it is a good idea to have a MELISA test done before having dental implants created or placed; this can identify any potential allergies or reactions to titanium before having it surgically inserted into your body. For those who have a reaction to titanium, zirconia is a good alternative.

Differences Between Titanium and Zirconia Dental Implants

Titanium is a metal usually used in alloy form in the creation of dental implants. It has long been used in medical implants of various kinds due to the high degree of biocompatibility it enjoys. It has a low rate of allergic reaction, is easily integrated into the body, and – importantly in the case of dental implants – is very strong, durable, and resistant to corrosion.

Zirconia, on the other hand, is largely a ceramic material (though it is not completely metal-free, the metals that are present are mediated by other molecules that effectively render it a material that no longer acts as a metal). Like titanium, zirconia is very biocompatible and quite strong, and it able to be used in place of titanium in dental implants for those who are allergic to titanium. Zirconia has some qualities and benefits that are even stronger than those offered by titanium, as it turns out: some even choose it instead of titanium even in the absence of any kind of allergic reaction.

Benefits of Zirconia Dental Implants

Zirconia offers obvious advantages to those who are allergic to titanium in that it can be used to create dental implants that otherwise would not be possible to this group of people. It is for this primary reason that zirconia dental implants began to be used in 1987.

However, zirconia can offer other benefits in the creation of dental implants. For one thing, it is naturally similar to the color of one’s teeth, making them blend in more easily in the mouth. Some wearers of dental implants worry that a tiny flash of metal peeking out from underneath an implant crown or denture could belie its otherwise natural appearance. While this typically is not an issue in the back or sides of one’s mouth, the teeth that are visible when one smiles are more readily viewable; for this reason, some opt to have zirconia implants installed in these areas of the mouth to give a more pleasing aesthetic appearance.

Like titanium implants, zirconia implants are also highly resistant to corrosion, and it has been demonstrated that zirconia implants can also help fend off the development of plaque deposits around the implant sites. This is an important benefit in terms of the long-term maintenance of one’s dental implants as well as one’s future gum health, and plaque deposits can lead to gum disease over time if not promptly removed.

Furthermore, zirconia implants are just as if not more biocompatible than titanium, offering a possible advantage in terms of long-term success of the implants.

Disadvantages of Zirconia Dental Implants

Zirconia implants do have some disadvantages, as well. First, they are a relatively new kind of implant. First approved by the FDA in 2011, there have not been the size and scale of long-term studies that titanium dental implants have undergone. While it could be that the long-term safety and functionality of zirconia rivals that of titanium implants, it is simply too early to tell.

Studies have shown that zirconia implants can be more prone to factures, breaks, and other forms of failure, including degradation of the material itself over time. While long-term studies are needed to demonstrate just how pervasive material degradation can be over time, what is known is that zirconia implants break more easily than those constructed from titanium. This could lead to more repairs and even replacements over the life of the zirconia implant.

Furthermore, the individual components of zirconia implants tend to be more closely circumscribed, offering less opportunities for customization and more limitations in terms of the kinds of systems used. Since the outset zirconia implants have typically composed of one single piece rather than the three-piece system that titanium implants are made of. In these cases, surgical placement can be quite complex, as this initial positioning is the only time to adjust the way in which the implant is seated in the mouth. Less than perfect placement can lead to compounded issues in the future that can only be remedied by reseating the entire implant, which is not ideal.

Although in recent years two-piece systems have been made available, this continues to limit the ways in which these systems are designed, placed, and used. One- and two-piece systems can also lead to more complicated and costly repair, as there are fewer pieces that can be easily swapped out.

Choosing the Right Dental Implant System

Whether you opt for traditional titanium or the newer zirconia system of dental implants, the most important choice to be made is the implant team that will be creating, placing, and maintaining your new prosthetic teeth. It is important to work with a team that is skilled not only in dentistry and oral surgery generally, but specifically in the installation of dental implants. A good team will take your own unique case into consideration and help you make the right choices for you and your mouth. Remember, this is not the time to shop around for the lowest price but rather for the most highly reviewed and trusted practitioners. Dental implants are investment in your own health and happiness; be sure to work with people that will do quality work. If you make the right choice in choosing a dentist and oral surgeon to work with, they’ll help guide you through the rest of the decision-making process and ensure the best possible outcome, too.