Metal Free Zirconium Dental Implants

Healthy and beautiful teeth contribute significantly to our quality of life. They are essential part of our appearance. Choosing the right material is a vital part of any tooth replacement therapy or smile makeover procedure. The standard for replacing a missing tooth is the Titanium implant. However, new generation of metal-free implants are now available. The Zirconia dental implants are  made of special ceramic (Zirconium oxide, ZrO2) that originally was designed and manufactured for its use in the spaceships technology because of its high resistance to fracture and heat.

This new generation of ceramic dental implant gives great advantages to the patients, as It is no longer necessary to implant Titanium or any other metal in order to have fixed teeth. Zirconia implant is the holistic dental implant for absolute metal-free dentistry. They can be used also by patients allergic to common implants and clients with thin soft tissues (thin bio-type Gingiva).

Zirconium oxide ceramics are used to manufacture materials that work in aggressive environments, like extrusion valves for combustion engines. Zirconium oxide implants have outstanding mechanical properties, good stability, a high biocompatibility and a high resistance to scratching and corrosion.

Titanium is regarded as the ‘gold standard’ for dental implant materials. Numerous studies have confirmed the high success and survival rates of titanium implants in many different applications, however One disadvantage is that it can result in poor aesthetics, especially in front of in the mouth, because of its greyish colour, exposure of the implant body due to soft tissue recession or if the individual has thin gums , conversely Zirconium oxide is ivory in colour making it similar to the colour of the natural tooth, which is important for anterior restorations. Furthermore its ability to transmit light makes zirconia a suitable material in fillings that require aesthetics.

Most contemporary ceramic implants are in one-piece, which is advantageous for insertion and durability. The white colour of Zirconium substitutes the metallic appearance of the Titanium hence, the dark line around the gum disappears. Because of a friendly gum reaction and due to dental plaque being less attached to them, the crown margins show no symptoms of inflammation in the gums region. Better gum health minimizes the risk of losing an implant.

There are currently only a few Zirconia implants on the market today. One of the main stream companies for Zirconia implants is Nobel Bio care. They have introduced their patented one piece Zirconia implant. Other manufacturers include Zimmer and 3i.

In conclusion one can see that there are advantages as well as disadvantages to opting for Zirconia implants - more natural looking implants being one of the main ones. Zirconia implants are definitely a viable option for you if you want to get implants but be sure to talk through all your options with your implant dentist before making any final decisions. Ceramic implants will become the future; of course there are still studies and scientific data missing.

Titanium is not the only material used to produce tooth implants and it is important to be aware of all the options available to you. From Titanium implants to Zirconia dental implants, we can provide you with a comprehensive range of dental implants information, come and see us for a complimentary consultation with your recommended implant dentist in Preston.