13 July 2023
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

Dental implants aren't available in all that many different materials. Implant dentistry primarily works with titanium for the portion of the device surgically embedded in your jaw. The implant's prosthetic tooth is a different story.

In Your Jaw

When your dentist talks about your implant, they're referring to the titanium alloy post implanted in your jaw. This occurs during your implant surgery—which is performed on an outpatient basis, under local anesthetic, and you can go home as soon as the surgery has been completed. Titanium is favored for implantation due to two factors:

• It's incredibly strong, and, provided the implant properly integrates with your jawbone post-surgery, the process will lead to the implant being permanent.
• The chemical composition of titanium means its bioinert, and unless there's an existing allergy or sensitivity (which is not common), the titanium won't aggravate or irritate the tissues it's in contact with. 

Alternatives

There are limited cases when titanium is not appropriate. This could apply when the patient has thin or deficient gum tissues, meaning the titanium implant may be visible through the gums. It's also applicable in cases of titanium allergy or sensitivity. When titanium is not recommended, an implant made of zirconia can be manufactured. Zirconia is a type of ceramic and is typically used to construct the dental crown (prosthetic tooth) that will be connected to the implant.

Dental Doppelganger

Zirconia crowns can be quickly milled using computer-aided design which helps them to look like the doppelganger of the tooth they'll be replacing—in color and shape. Zirconia replicates the density and slightly translucent appearance of a tooth's natural outer coating (made up of mineralized dental enamel). Essentially, zirconia is as close to a natural tooth as dental science can provide. And since these teeth can't decay, in some ways they may be superior to natural teeth. Yet zirconia isn't the only material used to make dental crowns.

Acrylic Materials

You may be tempted to save money wherever you can during your procedure, and while the implant must be titanium, you could be curious if there's a less expensive option for the dental crown, like acrylic. Acrylic crowns are available, although not recommended for long-term use. Dentists typically use acrylic crowns as temporary restorations while a permanent crown is being made. It will quickly discolor, become tarnished, and may not form a secure connection with its implant due to its comparatively lightweight composition. The crown will start to look conspicuously unnatural and must be replaced. 

If you're undergoing the time and expense involved with dental implant surgery, there's little point in trying to cut corners with the dental crown that will finish the process. The best-looking and performing dental implants are those that are made of titanium (for the implant) and zirconia (for the crown). 

For more information about implant dentistry, contact a local company.