In the dental industry today, two products have emerged as suitable implant systems for teeth replacement. In recent times, as the popularity of both materials grows so does the curiosity of the patients in knowing which product is best for them.
Zirconia Dental implants and Titanium Dental implants have emerged as forerunners in the material being used to produce dental implants.
Research has shown that none of the two is a dangerous or unhealthy choice, but they do have their shortcomings. It is your right as a patient to know how either product can affect your overall health. While you can freely ask your doctor for all the information you need, here is an educative brief on the Zirconia versus Titanium combo.
Zirconia dental implant
The Zirconia dental implant is also known as ceramic implants; this rightly implies that they are made up of Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). Zirconia implants are a quite recent innovation, and like every other dental implant they are used as replacement tooth. They possess all the benefits and even more of a typical dental implant.
It comes in powdered form. It is affordable and can swiftly create the tooth structure for crowns and bridges. It performs almost better than titanium with some unique properties of its own.
Zirconia implants cannot degrade or corrode.
Much unlike the titanium implants where corrosion and degradation is almost an inescapable possibility, the Zirconium implants trigger no chemical reactions at all.
The products are made of biocompatible and bioinert material.
Although titanium products are developed to a corrosion resistant capability, its metal nature still leaves the possibility.
Zirconia implants are hypoallergenic.
Some people are allergic to metals. Although the rate of this occurrence is a minimal 4%, its existence cannot be denied, and such patients deserve a better option.
There are a few methods used to discover if a person is allergic to metals or not. One of which is the MELISA test, it is the most popular test carried out by dentists.
Zirconium is as harmless as putting rubber in your mouth. It is metal free and causes no allergic reactions
Zirconia implants offer more aesthetic result in the long run
By appearance, the zirconia implants are white and look more like a natural root, whereas titanium implants have only a white crown and metal root. This quality comes into play years after the implant, when the gums tend to recede exposing a little part of the implant.
For titanium tooth implant the greyish metal color will gleam through the tissue, but a zirconia tooth will fit right in, unnoticed.
However, this is only noticed when the tooth implant is in the anterior teeth.
Success rates
Studies have shown that both titanium and zirconia implants have a similar success rate of 98.5%. They both promote osseointegration and zirconia promotes a higher soft tissue attachment, so the final result is more aesthetic than that of titanium.
Titanium implants are stronger
Ceramic is a volatile material when compared with the metal of titanium. Over the years titanium has gained more popularity over zirconia simply because they are stronger and last longer.
The titanium metal is unbreakable unlike zirconia ceramic, which can break more easily.
Ease of Placement.
Most titanium dental implants come in two pieces while the majority of zirconia implants come in just one.
Most specialists would say that a two-piece has a higher tendency to harbor bacteria because of the gap between, a one piece does not. However, experienced dentists consider titanium two pieces easier to place. During a tooth replacement procedure, two pieces dental implants can easily be set at the required angle while one piece is rigid and proof more difficult.
Newer two-piece models of zirconia implants have been produced but are yet to be widely tested.
In terms of cost zirconia implants are slightly higher than titanium implants. Invariably, titanium implants have been the standard for tooth replacement in the past years. They have become very common and better used. One could say that given the same chance of constant use, zirconia implants could become equally famous and more enlightened to develop new products.
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