Titanium vs Ceramic Dental Implant
Dental implants are quickly becoming the preferred way to address tooth loss and the procedure continues to be refined and improved with new techniques and materials. When reviewing this treatment option, the dentist can help determine if ceramic or titanium implants are the ideal solution for you. The two materials offer different structures, pricing, healing and implant longevity.
Titanium Implants
With the development of titanium as a surgical material in the 1960s, it has become the standard for dental implants and joint replacements. There are decades of research and case studies on the material and the related procedures. Titanium is an ideal material because it is light weight, strong, and can fuse with bones. Typically, titanium implants are composed of two pieces; one piece is the post that is placed below the gums and the other is the piece on top that attaches the post to the false tooth. The two separate pieces allow the dentist to place the post at the correct angle for your mouth and the false tooth to meet your other teeth to match your bite properly.
Ceramic Implants
The newer material for implants is a ceramic material called zirconia and patients are starting to prefer this type over titanium. Because the titanium used in dental implants is often an alloy with other metals mixed with the titanium, so people can have allergic reactions or sensitivities to the titanium implant. Ceramic implants are metal free and a natural tooth color, allowing them to avoid the dark shadow in the gum that titanium implants can create. The FDA approved the use of ceramic for implants in 2009, but this material has been used in Europe longer. Although the material is strong, it can crack and fracture when pressure is not applied straight on the implant. The research shows that ceramic is durable and long lasting, but the decades of research and evidence is not yet available like it is for titanium.
Pricing
Currently, ceramic implants are more expensive than titanium implants. They cost more to manufacture and they are more time consuming for the dentist to place correctly in your jaw as compared to titanium.
Which type of implant is safer?
Both materials offer safe options for tooth replacement; the FDA has approved both after extensive testing. Titanium implants have been available longer so there is more information about best practices and potential problems. To date, there has not been a documented allergic reaction to ceramic implants which can offer peace of mind to people with metal allergies or sensitivities.
Which type of implant lasts longer?
Both material offer long lasting tooth replacement results and both materials can be repaired or replaced in the case of a problem. Research has shown titanium implants to last about 20 years on average but there is not enough research to definitively estimate the lifespan of a ceramic implant.
Which type of implant will heal more quickly?
Regardless of the material, the implant is placed below the gums into the jaw bone and the implant will need time to fuse with the bone before it is stable. The is no notable difference between the time that it takes for the ceramic implant to heal as compared to the titanium implant. After the initial placement, you can expect to have some pain for the first week. For most people, the implant will take about three to six months to properly heal.