Dental implants are one of the most important innovations in dentistry for the last 50 years. They’ve made it possible to add teeth back into a mouth that might require a denture before. Now dentists can create a new tooth that looks just like the old one and will take up the same space, without any problem with rejection.
But what makes that possible?
The body doesn’t tend to like materials that aren’t natural, so finding something that will work is a feat. Titanium and its alloys have filled a hole for dentists, giving them an option that allows them to replace teeth that have had to be removed.
Titanium is one of the most common metals used for implants because of its biocompatibility. Simply put, titanium is one of the few metals the body doesn’t tend to reject. Titanium and its alloys will adjust to the body by creating an oxidized layer on the outside that doesn’t react to its surroundings, making it work for applications inside the body.
This has opened up possibilities for dentists and surgeons that they didn’t have before. Other metals may suffer rejection problems or even create corrosion issues.
Ceramics are useful, but they bring their own problems with chipping, breaking, and burring or cracking. Titanium doesn’t have those problems.
Titanium is extremely strong and durable, standing up to stresses that other implants won’t. Bone will grow up around it to cement an implant into place. It will stick in place and keep a tooth implant there so people can live their daily lives without having to deal with a denture that needs removal and cleaning every night.
Titanium particles aren’t just something the bone grows around. In fact, the bone grows into it, melding with the titanium ad making the implant part of the bone instead of something foreign.
Dental implants are huge for quality of life. People who need dental implants can avoid getting dentures and other more labor-intensive solutions for missing teeth, and the implants will blend seamlessly with the bone that’s already there.
Adding ceramic to a titanium implant creates the best of both worlds: the look and feel of a regular tooth combined with a titanium alloy that blends with the original bone. If you’re looking for some dental help, including implants, contact our dental practice. We’ll take care of you and make sure you leave with a better smile than you could have even imagined.
