Dental Implant Material Options
Ann Arbor, MI
When some of your teeth are missing, considering dental implants is never a bad idea. As they are one of the most versatile tooth restoration options, dental implants offer so many benefits that improve your oral health. While you may want to choose dental implants to restore your lost teeth, you may also want to know what materials they are made of. At Everwell Dentistry, we offer the most suitable materials to facilitate a successful dental implant procedure for our patients.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small prosthetic posts that are surgically placed into the jawbone to act as teeth roots. The jawbone grows to bond with the dental implant through a process called osseointegration. This is made possible because the dental implant is crafted from materials that are biocompatible. These materials boost their success rate, and also enable them to last a lifetime. The materials that dental implants are made from are either titanium or zirconium.
Titanium Dental Implants
Titanium is the most commonly used material for dental implants. Often referred to as the gold standard for general medical implants, titanium implants are usually crafted as commercially pure titanium or titanium alloy. The commercially pure titanium post boasts of improved mechanical qualities as it contains trace elements of oxygen, iron, nitrogen, and carbon. Titanium also has elements such as aluminum and vanadium, and it is treated with heat for lower density and higher resistance to corrosion and wear. Even with lower density, titanium implants are much stronger and set permanently within the jawbone.
Zirconium Dental Implants
These dental implants are made from zirconia, which is a crystal material that is absolutely metal-free. While titanium has been used for implants for a while, zirconium was much recently introduced for production. Zirconium implants are usually made as a combination of the implant post and the abutment, so the placement procedure has to be absolutely precise. This means that the healing process will have to be strictly monitored as the implant will not be completely buried under the gum. Overall, zirconium implants have only been around for a short period, so their rate of osseointegration and longevity is not entirely proven.
Choosing Between Titanium and Zirconium Implants
While titanium implants have been around for a long time to prove their effectiveness, some patients may not prefer them as they are a form of metal. They are strong, sturdy, and totally lightweight making them easier choices for patients. However, patients with autoimmune diseases and allergies may be steered towards the zirconium implants.
On the other hand, zirconium implants are usually designed as a one-piece device. This reduces the number of procedures necessary for a complete implant placement, but it raises the risks of possible implant failure as some of the implant is exposed from placement until complete healing. Zirconium implants are also much more costly than titanium implants, so you may need to be sure that your insurance covers the cost.
In all, our professionals will always give you a complete and total assessment to ensure that you make the right choice for your dental implant material. If you are interested in replacing your lost teeth, book a consultation with Everwell Dentistry today, by calling us at (734) 973-0000, to have all of your questions answered.
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