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How Much is a Zirconia Dental Implant?

Zirconia Dental Implants aka Ceramic

 

zirconia implant dentistry

 

The biggest advantage of zirconia implants over titanium is zirconia is not a metal. Zirconia implants are often called “ceramic implants” and they are in fact the same thing. Holistic dentists prefer zirconia because the material does not contain metal properties. Ceramic is considered the holistic dental implant. Zirconia is white like natural teeth. Titanium is a metallic gray color and does not look good if seen in the mouth. Besides the obvious cosmetic advantages of ceramic implants, titanium implants corrode in the mouth. Titanium corrosion can increase the chances of immunological rejection and failure. The process of titanium corrosion is very slow and the role in implant failure is debatable.

 

Zirconia Implants Vs Titanium Video

 

YouTube video

 

Contact Dr. Adams for a complimentary consultation including 3D Xray

 

How much is a Zirconia Implant?

 

Zirconia implants cost more than titanium implants for many reasons. The manufacturing process and the material costs of zirconia are more expensive than conventional titanium. Each zirconia implant needs to be milled by a 3D printer out of a block of specialized ceramic. Ceramic implant surgery is more difficult to perform and requires specialized and additional training. Parts such as abutments etc. cost more. It is also technically more challenging to design and make crowns. Finally, if that isn’t enough, most zirconia implant manufacturers do not warranty their products, so in the event of a failure, the doctor will need to buy another implant. Most dentists build all these factors into the fee. Most doctors charge a little over $2000 for titanium implants and a little over $3000 for zirconia implants. Of course the crown is an additional fee usually costing an additional $2,000 – $3000.

 

Zirconia and Traditional Titanium Implants

 

What material is best for implants – zirconia or titanium implants? Zirconia is better for cosmetics (no gray metal) and people who have allergies and biocompatibility issues. Titanium is better for full mouth implant cases and people who clench their teeth a lot. Needless to say there are many advantages of zirconia dental implants. But there are also many advantages to titanium implants even beyond the obvious cost advantages. Strength, durability and titanium bends and does not break usually – just like natural teeth. Zirconia is strong, but does not bend and at a certain point it will break. Clearly ceramic is white like natural teeth and will definitely never corrode.

 

Titanium and Zirconia both have pros and cons

 

As you can see, the two materials are just different. It really just depends on the circumstances. Suffice to say, that zirconia is a better cosmetic implant. Titanium implants should not be used for people with nickel and other metal allergies. Titanium is better for people that clench their teeth a lot and replacing molars.

 

Do Titanium Implants Corrode and Fail?

 

Metal implants made of titanium corrode slowly over time in the mouth in a rusting-like process. After all humans are practically all water and what happens when you mix metal and water? Titanium corrosion can lead to implant inflammation called peri-implantitis. The cause of the inflammation is the titanium corroding and rust-like particles leaking out into jawbone. Corrosion can lead to implant rejection? Practically speaking, titanium corrosion is a very slow process. Implant failure do to corrosion is very rare and may be a minor concern for most people. Exceptions may be people with known metal allergies to nickel and people who have lots of other sensitivities.

 

Zirconia Implants are Not New or Experimental

 

Zirconia implants are new and experimental. That is absolutely false. Zirconia implants have been used since the 1980s. That makes ceramic implants as new as Atari and Pacman. Dental schools in the US offer no training for zirconia implants, but rather only titanium. Since most dentists are not trained to do zirconia implants they offer only titanium.

 

Maryland Holistic Offers Zirconia and Titanium Implants

 

Are you searching for zirconia implants near me or a ceramic implant dentist?  We are a holistic dental office that does lots of metal free ceramic implants. But we also place titanium when it is a better option. Isn’t one better than the other? No. Titanium and zirconia implants are two completely different materials and products with different advantages and disadvantages. The real question is what are the different indications for ceramic and titanium implant tooth replacement.

 

Why Titanium Implants are more Popular than Zirconia

 

YouTube video

 

Zirconia Implant Before and After

 

zirconia implants before and after

 

Over the years, not all ceramic implant reviews have been good. Dr. Adams is very excited about some of the new zirconia implant products. He believes some of the new advancements in 2021 have made zirconia and ceramic just as good as their titanium counterparts in certain situations. Dr Adams believes the needs of each case should be evaluated and the best implant material used for tooth replacement. Certain cases will favor one material over the other and the pros and cons of both materials needs to be weighed with each and every case. Are Zirconia Implants are more Biocompatible than Titanium

In cases where there are allergies and sensitivities, zirconia implants are the better choice because they are more biocompatible.

 

Titanium Implants are better for Teeth Clenchers

 

In cases where teeth are small and there are a lot of TMJ clenching forces, titanium may be a better choice. Ceramic implant design vs titanium. Considerations other than material differences exist too. Implants come in different shapes and sizes and these differences need to be considered as well as the material itself. Dr Adams is one of the best dentists in determining what type of implant is best in a given situation. All dental implant options are on the table as we have both titanium and ceramic choices.

 

Ceramic Implants are white and more cosmetic

 

zirconia implants

 

Metal free cosmetic options is not a new concept in the dental office. Removing amalgam fillings to get rid of old and unsightly metal fillings has been done for years. Non-metal implants have a unique advantage over titanium implants in cases where: 1) showing metal may be a problem 2) patient metal allergies may be an issue 3) the patient has other metals present in there mouth such as silver fillings and metal crowns. Zirconia implants are sometimes called ceramic implants or cosmetic dental implants.

 

Ceramic and Zirconia Implants are the Same Thing

 

There is no difference. They are interchangeable and analogous when it comes to implants. Zirconia is a specific ceramic. All ceramic implants are made of zirconia, so for implants they are synonymous. Ceramic is a more familiar word for most people, so it has been used more in the past. Now that zirconia is developing a more household name, it is becoming more used than ceramic.

 

Meet Dr. Adams

 

ceramic implant dentist

 

Dr Adams sees patients from Maryland, DC, Virginia, across the USA and abroad. Dr. Adams has successfully placed thousands of implants. Zeramex is the leading manufacturer of zirconia implants in the world and is based out of Switzerland. Dr. Adams does cases involving one up to a full mouth of implants. Dr. Adams performs implant surgery and the teeth that go on top.

 “enjoy doing my patient’s implant cases from start to finish…it brings me a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction…”

 

 

 

Zirconia Implants are Biocompatible

 

Dr. Adams preselects materials that are metal free, safe  and biocompatible. “Every material placed into the mouth has an impact on our system,” says Dr. Adams…”We should select the one with the smallest and safest impact possible.”

 

Why are Zirconia implants better than titanium?

 

zirconia implant dentist

 

Zirconia implants are tooth colored as opposed to a metal color of all conventional titanium implants. Metal free zirconia implants pose many advantages over titanium. First, since zirconia implants are white you will never see any metal color by the gum-line when you smile. Since zirconia does not conduct electricity or react electronically, it will never react with other metals in your mouth. Metal things in your mouth all have an electronic charge. things such as silver amalgam fillings, metal crowns, braces, titanium implants, partial dentures. The issue with different metals is they react with one another in a reaction called a Galvanic reaction. During these reactions, there is corrosion, flow of electricity and magnetism. All these reactions are not good for the immune system or nervous system.

 

Why is Titanium better than Zirconia Implants?

 

What is the best dental implant?  First, Titanium implants cost less than ceramic and are easier for the dentist to use. Titanium are less likely to fracture than zirconia implants. That being said, I have never seen a zirconia implant fracture. in fact, I have been using zirconia on the biting surfaces of teeth as a crown material for over 10 years. I have only seen a couple zirconia crowns break. However that being written, zirconia is more likely to fracture than titanium implants. Titanium implants have much better parts to use to put teeth on top of implants. Titanium is much easier to use when it comes to multi-teeth implant cases such as all on 4 implants and implant dentures.

As stated above, titanium implants are easier to use for the implant dentist. Zirconia implant dentists need additional training and need to be more experienced to place zirconia implants vs titanium implants. Just because something costs less and is easier to do, does not mean it is the best solution.

 

Ceramic Implant Cost? How much is a Zirconia Implant?

 

Ceramic implants are more expensive than titanium when it comes to tooth replacement. To replace a tooth with a zirconia implant vs titanium, the zirconia implant is 30% more expensive.

There are several zirconia implant manufacturers with FDA approval: Ceraroot, Z Systems, Zeramex, Nobel Biocare and Straumann. Nobel Biocare is the most recent newcomer to the market with the Nobel Pearl zirconia implant.

 

Is Zirconia a Metal?

 

No. A metal is a material that conducts electricity. In fact zirconia, if anything is an insulator or a material that has everything but metallic properties. Think of wires with a plastic coating. The wire is always a metal or a material that conducts electricity well and the plastic coating is an “insulator” that keeps electronic current inside the wire and does not allow the electricity to escape. Zirconia being an excellent insulator, is quite the exact opposite of a metal. The non-conductivity of zirconia is exactly what helps it perform well in biologic systems because it does not corrode or react with a water based biologic system. After all, we are nearly 100% water anyway and we all know metal rusts or corrodes. It also helps that zirconia is white and looks better too. Zirconia dental implants are an invaluable asset to the zirconia implant dentist and natural holistic dentistry in general.

 

Benefits and of Zirconia Tooth Implants:

 

What is all the hype with metal free ceramic implants? The cosmetic advantages of ceramic implants are obvious. It is a lot easier for a ceramic implant dentist to make a case look natural if the material used is the same color as a natural tooth. Nothing causes a dentist more anxiety than trying to hide unsightly metal in the cosmetic teeth zone.

 

What Implant Material is the most Biocompatible?

 

Zirconia is more biocompatible, but why? It comes down to how ones body reacts to different materials. The body always has a reaction to everything be it good or bad. For example, foods. Some people are allergic to peanuts and some are not. Peanuts can be so reactive that eating peanuts can be grave for some people. For other people peanuts pose no problem and in fact have some health benefits. Clearly peanuts have the potential to be more reactive than celery. Likewise with dental materials, some materials are more reactive than others. It just so happens that titanium dental implants are more reactive biologically than zirconia. Naturally, zirconia implants have immunological advantages over titanium.

 

Hypoallergenic:

 

Ceramic dental implants are hypoallergenic. Some cases of titanium sensitivity show up years after surgery when itchiness and inflammation develop around implant sites. It’s a perfect setup for bone loss and the potential failure of an implant.

Today, there’s a growing number of people with allergies, sensitivities and immune system problems; therefore implantation of tooth root devices should be seriously considered. Especially since long term exposure to sensitive materials can lead to chronic systemic inflammation and autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s, Lupus, Periodontal disease among many others.  The removal of implants from jaw bone is not a simple procedure either. No question, the demand for zirconia implant dentists will be on the rise.

 

Zirconia Implants will never show Metal buy the gum line:

 

People with thin gums and who are susceptible to gum recession may end up with gray metallic-looking gums or titanium showing around the margin of the crown. Since zirconia is non-metallic and white, it is much more natural looking. Zirconia has been referred to as the natural dental implant. It’s a perfect base color that closely mimics what nature created in the first place. Tooth-colored materials makes cosmetic implant dentistry a lot easier.

 

Corrosion Resistant:

 

Ceramic does not corrode and it will not conduct electricity or heat. As a bio inert material, it will never break-down and migrate to other sites in the body or interfere with the maintenance of optimal health.

 

Non-Metallic:

 

Zirconia does not conduct electricity – a huge benefit for the non-metal implant dentist. Bacterial growth on the surface of ceramic implants is far less likely than titanium due to it’s non-conductivity. Metal conductivity and corrosion promotes bacterial growth and increases the chances of peri-implantitis around titanium vs zirconia. Research shows healthier gums around zirconia dental implants relative to metal including titanium and other metal restorative materials. Zirconia implants are the perfect choice for tooth replacement for people with cosmetic concerns and material sensitivity issues.

 

Holistic Dental Implants:

 

Ceramic does not interfere with the movement of energy though the body’s meridians. Because zirconia is electronically neutral, it has a smaller impact on the meridians than metallic materials. it is an ideal material for tooth replacement for people who want holistic and biological implant treatments.

 

What is the Verdict – Titanium or Zirconia?

 

Issues of ceramic vs titanium implants needs to be further explored as do issues of root canals vs zirconia implants. While the corrosive properties of titanium implants has been established, we will need to see how this impacts long-term titanium implant success and if it is a true cause or risk factor in titanium implant failure.

There has been a big evolution of zirconia implants. We Currently use Zeramex zirconia implants due to their high rate of success, ease of use, biocompatibility and it is white and non-metallic properties.

Zirconia implants can be used in implant bridges, single implant cases and select full mouth implant cases. Ceramic implants are not ideal for all on four dental implants cases.

 

Is there a such thing as a Zirconia Implant Specialist?

 

Zirconia Implants are definitely placed differently than titanium implants. The crowns are also fitted differently than titanium. The bite needs to be adjusted differently than titanium too. It is advisable to seek a dentist who has experience in placing ceramic Implants and not just any implant dentist.

 

Is Zirconia Implant Surgery Different than Titanium Surgery?

 

YouTube video

 

There is definitely a difference between the training for ceramic and titanium implant dentistry. Zirconia implant dentistry is more specialized and most zirconia implant dentists have placed hundreds if not thousands of titanium implants before doing ceramic. In fact, until zirconia protocols become easier, dentists should get acclimated to titanium prior to doing more difficult zirconia implant dentistry cases.

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