I have trouble with metal allergies and need to replace a tooth. I would love to get a dental implant but wondered if there are any that are non-metal. I’m worried having a metal one in my mouth will cause problems.
Cassidy
Dear Cassidy,
You didn’t mention what type of metal allergy you have. Traditional dental implants are made from titanium. This particular metal is very biocompatible. I would be quite surprised if you were allergic to it. Titanium has been used for prosthetics in the human body for quite a long time with great success.
There are metal free dental implants that use zirconia. They are not largely used yet, though. This isn’t because there is anything wrong with them. Zirconia is quite strong. In fact, it has been nicknamed ceramic steel. The main reason for its lack of use is the fact that it is fairly new. As a result, there is not as much data on their longevity.
Titanium implants have been in usage for decades with significant amounts of data on them. Dentists tend to stick with what they’re used to and are a bit gun shy of trying new treatment options. Because of that, you have two viable choices.
Your first option is to get the traditional dental implants that are made from titanium. Unless you have a specific titanium allergy, you will be fine and they have a lot of data to back them up.
Your second option is to look for a dentist who is willing to provide you with the zirconia implants. I would suggest you look for either a holistic dentist or a mercury-free dentist. These dentists are more willing to try things for patients when other dentists won’t. They consider the whole body and not just your teeth.
This blog is brought to you by Libertyville Dentist Dr. David Potts.