Zirconia Dental Implants Archives | Williams Family Dentistry

I have two dental implants that are made from titanium. I need another dental implant. I recently read an article online that titanium can cause neurological problems. I’m thinking I should get a zirconia implant this time. Are they a good replacement for the metal ones? If so, should I also replace the other two?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

I’m not aware of any studies that show titanium causes neurological problems. It’s been used for decades not only in dental implants but also in prosthetics of all kinds, including hips. It is very biocompatible. I’d love for you to send me the article you read so I could read the studies they sited. If they didn’t site any legitimate scientific studies, then their article is probably just click bait. There is a lot of that online. Not every article you read is accurate.

There is nothing wrong with the zirconia dental implants if that is what you want for your new implant. However, I do not recommend that you switch your existing implants. It is not as simple as taking out the old implants and putting in new ones. Instead, the procedure that removes the implants will leave a hole in your jawbone. That bone needs to be replaced. Otherwise your new implants will fail. You’ll need a bone grafting procedure done in order to build back up your bone.

After that has had time to heal, you’ll need to then have another surgery to place the new implants. At each of those stages, something can go wrong. If you have stable implants, I’d leave them alone. You don’t want to risk dental implant failure when you already have great implants.

Some people reading this may wonder whether titanium or zirconia implants are better. There isn’t a great answer for this simply because zirconia is much newer and we don’t have long-term data yet. But, from what we know so far they are equal to the titanium. That could change as we gain more information.

Be aware that not all dentists will have the zirconia implants. Your best option would be to see a metal free dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. James Williams.

I need to replace a tooth. I’ve been told that dental implants are the best replacement. However, I am having a hard time deciding. I’ve been told having metal in your dental work is bad for your body and planned on getting the zirconia implants, but now I’ve read that they may be radioactive. Is there any good choice in dental implants?

Monica

Dear Monica,

One of the problems with living in a litigious society is there are warnings for everything. The other day, a friend and I were putting up one of those car windshield shades and saw a note that said, “Warning: Do not drive with shade in window.” We just looked at each other and asked, “I wonder who was the idiot that made that warning necessary?”

When it comes to dental implants, you are actually safe no matter which type you get. The metal that affects most patients when it comes to dental care has more to do with patients that have metal allergies. The most common type of those allergies is nickel. The type of metal in traditional dental implants is titanium, which has been used for decades and is one of the most biocompatible materials available. Another common metal in dental work that people understandably want to avoid is mercury. This is found in those old silver fillings people used to get. While the American Dental Association still considers them safe, most dentists have switched to mercury-free composite fillings.

As far as zirconia goes, while there are trace amounts of radioactivity in them, it is actually around the same radioactivity you get in concrete and bricks. Even our drinking water has some radioactivity. My experience has been that most articles which bring up these type of frightening headlines are usually just clickbait. They need the clicks to justify their writing, so they try to scare people into reading their article.

If you don’t have any sensitivity to titanium, you may want to go the traditional implant route, simply because they have been around longer and we have more data on their longevity. But, honestly, you’ll be fine with either one. And, yes, dental implants are the best tooth replacement out there, so great choice!

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Weaver.

Should I Replace My Metal Implants with Zirconia?

Are Zirconia Implants Radioactive?