Zirconia Dental Implants
Emerging technologies in implant dentistry continue to expand the versatility, durability, and aesthetics of dental implants. In more recent years, many patients who wish to avoid using metals in their body, either due to metal allergies or simply personal choice, have opted for zirconia dental implants. As you investigate which option is best for you, you’ll want to consider the benefits and limitations, as well as the risks, of both titanium and zirconia.
What Are the Benefits and Limitations of Dental Implants In General?
It’s impossible to deny that dental implants provide multiple benefits to people who have them, providing a permanent, stable solution to missing teeth. When you hear the term “dental implants,” you might think of the traditional style of implant, where a single dental implant is surgically placed into the jaw to support a single dental crown. While this type of one-to-one implant is still a popular choice for people who need to replace one or two missing teeth, it can become overly invasive, not to mention prohibitively expensive, to replace multiple missing teeth with individual implant-supported crowns. Thanks to continuous research, clinical trials, and professional development, implant dentists are now able to use a minimal number of dental implants to support entire rows of missing teeth, reducing the overall cost of implant restorations while providing many of the same benefits. Unlike other types of dental restorations, dental implants provide a very specific benefit to the bone, helping support it and keep it healthy as it heals around the biocompatible implant post and as it continues to anchor the tooth or teeth in place. This helps maintain the appearance of the face and prevent the sunken visage that can appear when missing teeth remain unaddressed. While many removable dental appliances, like bridges or dentures, can damage the adjacent teeth or cause painful irritation and inflammation of the mouth’s soft tissues, dental implants only enhance the health of the oral cavity. Of course, it’s important to keep the implants and oral tissues clean, and regular dental checkups are an imperative part of maintaining your investment in dental implants and ensuring decades of satisfaction with your smile. When patients lack sufficient healthy bone, bone graft and tissue regeneration therapies will precede dental implant placement, extending the timeline for treatment. Even when the bone is substantial and healthy, healing time for dental implants is extensive; it can take months for the bone to fully heal and fuse to the implant post, but this fusion of bone and implant is key to their durability and can’t be rushed. Certain materials are more appropriate for some clinical needs than others, and your implant dentist will discuss these options with you as you plan your treatment. Be sure to ask about the cost of each of these materials, too; unfortunately, dental implants are most often considered a cosmetic dental procedure and rarely covered by insurance, but your dentist may work with a third-party financier who can help defray your costs.
What Are the Benefits of Zirconia Over Titanium?
Zirconia, also known as zirconium dioxide, is a luminous white ceramic that has a chemical structure that grants it many of the properties of sturdy metals, like titanium, without the potential risks of resistance or allergy to metallic materials. That’s a fancy way of saying that zirconia can be called a non-metallic dental implant option, which is beneficial to patients with metal allergies. This also means that zirconia isn’t a good thermal or electrical conductor, so there is no risk of a “battery effect,” which can happen with mixed metals in implants and other restoration components. While rare, allergic reactions to titanium implants do happen, though this often occurs because the implants are made of titanium alloy that’s improperly labeled. Reputable implant dentists can assure the purity of their titanium implants, but zirconia is indisputably safe for patients with metal allergies. Because zirconia is white and looks much like a natural tooth, zirconia implants don’t show through the gums like titanium can, looking more like a white tooth root than a darkened or gray area in the gums. This can be particularly important for the “aesthetic zone,” the front teeth that are visible when we smile and speak. Studies have also shown a lower likelihood of infection around zirconia implants, paired with lower levels of plaque accumulation.
What Are Zirconia’s Limitations and Risks?
Because zirconia implants are still relatively new, there can be limited availability of certain implant components and designs. While this doesn’t cause issues with routine single-tooth restorations, it can pose challenges with more complicated implant procedures, and it may not be possible to achieve satisfying results because of this. More recently, design improvements have allowed technicians to create more complex zirconia implant components, though zirconia may still not be a viable option when replacing multiple teeth, and it isn’t a good option for implant-supported dentures. It is also impossible to determine the long-term performance of zirconia implants, simply because they haven’t been around very long. While zirconia is highly biocompatible, like titanium, it is more brittle than titanium and more likely to fracture when bent, which could lead to complications over the long term. When smaller dental implants are needed, either because of the density of the bone or the positioning of the teeth, zirconia is more prone to fracture and isn’t recommended for implants smaller than 4 millimeters in diameter.
Clearly, the choice between titanium and zirconia is complex, and you should definitely talk with your dentist and ask any questions you might have, reviewing your specific preferences and needs. A dental examination, including x-rays, will help your dentist understand what’s possible and what’s not and help you arrange any preliminary procedures that may be needed, like periodontal treatments, with a member of your implant team. If your procedure qualifies for zirconia implants and you prioritize aesthetics over longevity, or if you’d just prefer not having a metallic material in your body, zirconia dental implants could be an ideal option for you. Ask your dentist for a consultation to learn more and to see if zirconia implants are right for you.