Types of materials used for dental implants

How dental implants work
Dental implants must function in an environment with high humidity and high usage. Your teeth need to do more than just present a beautiful smile. They help with daily activities such as eating and talking. When teeth are damaged or lost, the function of the jaw and surrounding teeth can be compromised.

Each tooth is made up of two main parts: the crown and the root.
The crown is the visible white part of the tooth. It helps you speak and chew food correctly.
The roots of the teeth sit below the gum line and hold the teeth in place.
Tooth decay, gum disease, or an accident may damage one or both sides of a tooth, requiring dental restoration.

Dental implants offer a unique solution for missing or damaged teeth because the implants replace the root and crown of the tooth. Most tooth replacement solutions, such as dentures and permanent or temporary bridges, only focus on the visible portion of the tooth and must be replaced every five to seven years. These options also ignore the potential problems that may arise from bone loss, which may affect adjacent teeth and affect facial aesthetics.

Precautions for materials used in dental implants
Taking into account the environment within the oral cavity, the materials used must be strong, lightweight, non-corrosive, biocompatible and resistant to breakage.

The materials used in dental implants are chosen based on years of research into the physical and chemical properties that affect the jaw, gums and mouth. These properties include the surface composition and microstructure of the implant.

Materials used for dental implants
Dental implants contain three important parts:
Posts to replace missing tooth roots
A crown that replaces the visible part of the tooth, and
Custom abutments for securing posts to crowns or new teeth

Materials used to replace roots
Titanium or zirconium are the most commonly used materials for dental implant posts. Implant posts are screwed into the jawbone and serve as the foundation for new teeth. The material must be tough and strong enough, as well as biocompatible, meaning it resembles the human body and blends naturally with the jawbone.

Titanium is the gold standard for dental implants. The material can be pure titanium or an alloy. When titanium contains trace elements of iron, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon, its mechanical properties can be improved.

Titanium alloys can be mixed with elements such as aluminum to increase their strength. The result is a low-density material that is resistant to corrosion and fatigue.

Titanium offers a unique combination of strength, durability, lightweight and biocompatibility. It fuses with the jawbone, creating the necessary stimulation to activate cell growth in the bone and gums.

Titanium implants also have a low incidence of allergies, with a success rate of over 90% since they were first widely used in the 1980s. Implant failure due to fracture is also rare. However, patients may be allergic to titanium or one of its alloys, causing implant failure,

although this is rare

In some cases, zirconium is also used in dental implant posts. Like titanium, zirconium can successfully fuse with bone and may be an option when patients are concerned about metal allergies or sensitivities. The main benefits of zirconium are the elimination of the risk of corrosion and the avoidance of metal exposure at the gum line due to gum or bone recession.

While it is less attractive to bacteria and corrosion, it is more prone to cracking than titanium. Zirconium is a material that has recently been used in dental implants, but little is known about its longevity and osseointegration (the process of fusion) with the jawbone.

Zirconium implants are only available in one-piece applications rather than two-pieces, combining the post with the abutment to reduce errors. However, healing can be more complicated because the dentist does not fully submerge the implant beneath the gum tissue. Any movement during the healing process may prevent fusion with the jawbone.

Bone mass is another factor to consider for zirconium. Titanium implants and bone grafts carry lower risks than zirconium when the jaw bone volume is smaller.

By far the most popular component of implant posts is titanium or titanium alloy. Those with sensitivities or metal allergies may receive zirconium implant posts as an acceptable alternative.

Materials used for abutment
The abutment is the component between the post and the new crown, providing retention, support and stability to the implant post and new crown. In one-piece implants, the abutment may be part of the implant itself. However, the two-piece version with a separate abutment is more popular.

Chiriment provides you with customized abutment solutions, contact us.