I really want a zirconia implant but my dentist said they are not as reliable as the titanium implants. I have some pretty bad metal allergies so the zirconia sounds much safer to me. One of the things that puzzles me about this is I am the one taking the risk. Shouldn’t he allow me to get the one I want anyway?
Cheyenne
Dear Cheyenne,
Dentists are not bound to do any procedures. It is completely up to them. The good news is that if they are not meeting your needs, there are many other dentists who are perfectly capable of taking their place. I am not certain why he said that the zirconia dental implants are not as safe as the titanium. Zirconia is certainly strong enough. In fact, it has been dubbed ceramic steel.
The only thing I can think of is that there is not as much research on the longevity of the zirconia implants. However, this does not indicate inferiority. It simply means it has not been around as long so we don’t have the data. If you are a good candidate for dental implants in general, you can have zirconia implants.
I suggest that you look for a metal free dentist or a holistic dentist. They will be more open to this newer material. Bear in mind, you still want to check their dental implant credentials. It is not a procedure adequately taught in dental school, so you will want a dentist who has invested in some post doctoral training in dental implants.
One thing to be aware of is the inert quality of the titanium implants. Even though you have other metal allergies, it is very unlikely that you will be allergic to titanium. It is one of the most biocompatible metals there are and has been used for decades as prothetics. So, you have a couple of options. You can go ahead and find someone to do the zirconia allergies, or you can have the titanium. If you are super worried about an allergy, you can be tested for that specific allergy.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.