Over the years people have become more concerned and conscious about the materials that come into contact with their body and its impact on their overall health. In the field of dentistry, dental crowns, dental implants, dental fillings are some of the few foreign substances that come into contact with our body. Getting dental implants for one or more lost teeth is a significant step that patients take to improve their oral health. So it is important that they are well informed about the makeup of the implant.
Dental Implants are made up of the least reactive and least toxic material which offers the best strength and clinical success rate. Over the years the material used in dental implants has evolved. But many of the early materials used for dental implants were rejected by the human body. With years of trial and error, titanium implants had shown promising results. And thus we have been using titanium as the choice of material for dental implants ever since. During the 1980s, Zirconia implants were started to be used as an alternative for dental implants.
Today both Zirconia Implants and Titanium Implants are available for anyone who wants to get one or more of their teeth replaced. In this blog, we are going to talk about Zirconia Implants and how it varies with Titanium Implants in various aspects.
What is Zirconia Implants?
Zirconia Implants are advertised as a non-metallic ceramic implant that is white in color. Zirconia Implants are made of Zirconium Oxide. Zirconia Implants are as safe as conventional Titanium Implants as both are FDA approved materials for dental implant usage. The biggest advantage of Zirconia Implants is its color. The white color of the implant allows people with thin gingiva to get a more natural look. Zirconia Implants are also greatly beneficial for people who have titanium allergy.
What are the advantages of Zirconia Implants?
- Zirconia Implants are hypoallergenic in nature. These Implants allow people with metal allergy or titanium allergy to get dental implants. This is the single biggest advantage of Zirconia Implants.
- People with thin, translucent gums (thin gingival biotype) often end up with having grey colored gum with titanium implants. Zirconia Implants with its white color offer a much more natural look than titanium implants in people with thin gums.
- Zirconia Implants are resistant to chemical corrosion. Since it is a bio-inert material, it does not trigger any kind of chemical reaction. Titanium implants, on the other hand, are prone to corrosion under extreme conditions.
- Zirconia Implants are as strong as Titanium Implants if not stronger. The difference in the material does not compromise in strength of the implant.
- Due to its one-piece design unlike the titanium implant, there are no sub-gingival connections where bacteria can accumulate.
Are Zirconia Implants better than Titanium Implants?
Both Zirconia Implants and Titanium Implants have their advantages and disadvantages. But your dentist would recommend a certain type of implant depending upon the patient’s concerns and goals. Studies have shown that both zirconia and titanium implants have a similar bone to implant contact. Thus both implants are safe and offer similar strength. However, for people with aesthetic concerns or for people with titanium allergy, zirconia implants are the best option.