Titanium teeth implants are becoming increasingly popular among patients who want to replace their missing teeth permanently. During the dental implant procedure, your dentist places a small metal screw, usually made of titanium or zirconia material, into your jawbone to replace the missing tooth. The dental implant consists of three parts; the implant screw (which is inserted into the jawbone), an abutment, and the crown.
Titanium implants offer many advantages over other types of dental implants, including being strong, durable, and long-lasting. For most people, titanium dental implants carry few risks, but you may need to consider some potential side effects before surgery. Your dentist will also review your medical history to see if you qualify for a titanium implant.
What are the Benefits of Titanium Teeth Implants?
Missing teeth can have adverse effects on your confidence, facial structure, and the health of your remaining natural teeth. The process takes several months to replace missing teeth with permanent implants, from initial consultation to surgery and healing. Titanium teeth implants have been in use since the mid-1960s as a safe replacement for missing teeth. They are considered advantageous for several reasons.
Strength
In modern dentistry, titanium alloys exist in alpha, beta, and alpha-beta variations. Titanium is combined with elements such as aluminium and vanadium and then cooled from a liquid state to create these forms.
Aluminium is an alpha-phase metal that increases the alloy’s strength, and vanadium is a beta-phase metal.
The alpha-beta combination alloy is the most common type for the fabrication of titanium dental implants. The heat treatment for these alloys improves their strength, resulting in increased resistance to fatigue and corrosion.
They are more rigid than bone but less stiff than pure titanium. This flexibility is important as they can withstand the repetitive stresses of chewing and biting.
Biocompatibility
Metal materials aren’t biocompatible in their natural state, especially without a coating. Metal ions have a net positive charge, and the body’s cell membranes and DNA contain a net negative charge. Without a coating, the disassociated metal ions become attracted to and frequently establish bonds with DNA and cell membranes, rendering them inactive.
Titanium is biocompatible because of the material’s low conductivity, resulting in a thin passive oxide coating. This coating remains intact at the same levels of acidity and alkalinity as in the human body. With this coating, titanium dental implants made from commercially pure titanium and Ti-alloy V (Ti-6Al-4 V) can integrate with bone tissue and become part of the body as they heal. As a result, they act as a natural tooth root.
High success rate
Titanium dental implants have a high success rate. Over 10 years, a study of 511 titanium implants reported a survival rate of 98.8%, with a success rate of 97%. Titanium teeth implants made of commercially pure titanium and Ti-6AL-4V have up to 99% clinical success rates after 10 years.
How Do Zirconia Dental Implants Compare to Titanium Teeth Implants?
Besides titanium, another popular material for a dental implant is zirconia. Zirconia dental implants are white and look natural with your other teeth, making them an excellent choice for tooth replacement compared to titanium implants. However, these types of dental implants have significant drawbacks.
Brittle material
The material is strong in compression but is more susceptible to fracture if bent or flexed than titanium. In the long term, zirconia is more likely to fracture and develop complications.
Studies have shown that zirconia implants have a higher failure rate than titanium tooth implants. In one study, zirconia implants had survival rates of between 74% and 98% after 12-56 months, with success rates ranging from 79.6% to 91.6% after 6–12 months.
Some implants fail in the first few years after surgery because of micro-cracks in the material. If there are significant oral movements such as chewing and biting, the zirconia implant may fail early.
Risk of damage during the manufacturing process
A zirconia implant may be damaged during the manufacturing process. The manufacturing errors during the creation of ceramic implants and the subsequent surface treatment may reduce their strength. As a result, there may be a higher risk of fracture or rejection following dental implant surgery.
What are the Side Effects of Titanium Teeth Implants?
Titanium dental implants rarely have any side effects. However, some of them may include:
- Titanium toxicity: A rare complication of titanium teeth implants is titanium toxicity that causes bone inflammation, bone loss, or both. The accumulation of titanium ions and particles may lead to toxic reactions in the tissues, such as yellow nail syndrome.
- Metal allergy: Some people may be allergic to titanium implants due to a metal allergy. For those few people whose titanium implants triggered allergic reactions, the nickel in the metal alloy was the culprit.
- Fracturing: Titanium implant fracture is rare, with only a reported incidence ranging from 0% to 6%. However, this is because of manufacturing and design flaws found with certain dental implants and poor fit.
Who Qualifies for Titanium Teeth Implants?
Your dentist may examine whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants by looking at your mouth and jawbone to see if they are strong enough to support them.
Certain health conditions can affect the healing process, slowing or impeding the process of titanium dental implants integrating with the jawbone. These health conditions and diseases include:
- Gum disease: Advanced gum disease can break down the jawbone. Your dentist may have to correct gum disease-related bone loss before the procedure to ensure your jawbone is strong enough to support the dental implant. Bone grafts and guided tissue regeneration are two procedures that help prepare the jaw for dental implant placement.
- Smoking: It can harm your health and the implant osseointegration process, slowing healing. If you smoke, your dentist may advise you to stop smoking before and after your dental implant procedure to avoid any negative effects.
- Diabetes: Diabetic patients who manage their blood sugar have an implant success rate of 85-95%. Your dentist may not go forward with the procedure until your diabetes is under control and your glucose levels are consistent.
- Alcoholism: Drinking alcohol can impair the integration of bone tissue around the dental implant. Heavy consumption of alcohol increases the risk of late dental implant failures by 847%.
Talk to Your Dentist About Getting Titanium Teeth Implants
The titanium implant procedure requires time and financial resources, but it is worth the investment for permanently restoring your smile, ability to chew, talk and laugh normally, and boosting your self-confidence. If you’re ready to replace missing teeth, dentists at No Gaps Dental can address any concerns you have about the procedure or our payment plans.
To start the process of getting titanium teeth implants, arrange an appointment with a dentist in Sydney today. Call us on (02) 8806 0227 to book or to learn more about the cost and benefits of dental implants.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
Titanium Dental Implants
https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/titanium-implants
A Critical Review of Dental Implant Materials with an Emphasis on Titanium versus Zirconia
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5455450/
Osseointegration and biocompatibility of titanium implants
https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/bitstream/handle/1773/46254/pp40-42_20200825_Gibbs_A_P2.pdf?sequence=4
Biocompatibility of Advanced Manufactured Titanium Implants—A Review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5456424/
10-Year Survival and Success Rates of 511 Titanium Implants with a Sandblasted and Acid-Etched Surface: A Retrospective Study in 303 Partially Edentulous Patients
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230684277_10-Year_Survival_and_Success_Rates_of_511_Titanium_Implants_with_a_Sandblasted_and_Acid-Etched_Surface_A_Retrospective_Study_in_303_Partially_Edentulous_Patients
General review of titanium toxicity
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6409289/
Titanium Alloys for Dental Implants: A Review
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1592/2/2/11/pdf
A systematic review of the clinical survival of zirconia implants
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4992030/
Failure analysis of fractured dental zirconia implants
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21545535/
Effects of alcohol consumption on osseointegration of titanium implants in rabbits
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15359159/
Does alcohol consumption protect against late dental implant failures?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33744204/