Dental implants permanently replace missing teeth because they’re designed to integrate your jawbone to offer permanent roots. There are different types of dental implants, but this article talks about using zirconia for dental implants.
Zirconia for Dental Implants
Previously, titanium dental implants dominated the dental industry because of their impressive ability to integrate with the jawbone for a permanent replacement. But recently, zirconia dental implants have become very popular, offering an alternative to titanium in terms of osseointegration with the jawbone.
Zirconia comprises zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), also referred to as zirconia. But you shouldn’t confuse zirconia with zircon. Zirconium oxide is a white crystalline oxide, and it can be synthesized to produce various products, including dental implants.
Benefits of Zirconia Dental Implants
Numerous studies have been conducted on zirconia dental implants to establish their viability and benefits to patients. Here are the main advantages of zirconia dental implants.
Corrosion and Wear Resistant
Zirconia dental implants exhibit superior resistance against corrosion and deterioration, keeping your replacement teeth looking new and natural for many years. Since your mouth is always wet, you should choose dental implants that are corrosion resistant. The yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (Y-TZP) constituents in zirconia implants enable them to remain effective for years.
Extra Strength
Zirconia dental implants exhibit a high flexural forte compared to other dental implants. They are durable and inflexible, even under extreme pressure. Therefore, you can bite and chew hard foods without damaging them. They’ve proven to be more effective and pressure-resistant when placed in the anterior part of your mouth.
Osseointegration
Like titanium implants, zirconia dental implants are designed to bond with your jawbone to form a firm foundation for your dental crowns. Remember that a successful installation of dental implants depends on the effectiveness of their osseointegration. Fortunately, zirconia is known to offer successful osseointegration.
Doesn’t Conduct Heat
Since zirconia isn’t a metal, it doesn’t conduct heat. Therefore, your zirconia dental implants won’t burn your gums when you eat or drink something hot. This allows your gums to heal and bind themselves around the implants for a firm and permanent replacement.
Their only setback is that a few dentists only offer them. Although zirconia dental implants are gaining popularity worldwide, very few dentists are offering them. They arrived in the United States in 2019, which means they’re still not readily available.