Back in the day, dentists used gold, steel and other metals a lot when it came to giving their patients new dental implants. Over time, however, the development of ceramic, titanium and other types of implants – some of which look almost identical to the tooth itself after the full procedure is complete – has led to the progression of the industry and the development of increasingly more durable and healthier dental implants Park Ridge offices install.
The biggest problem with older types of implants was that they might deteriorate, or that they could lead to health complications shortly after they were installed. Sometimes the implants would simply fall off, as the body would reject it; and other times, toxic materials could lead to severe illnesses.
Today there are two types of materials used for dental implants that are considered to be quite safe: titanium and zirconia.
Zirconia is an alternative to titanium implants that was first developed about two decades after the first titanium implants became mainstream in the 1960s. In the late 80s, zirconia implants began being promoted as white, realiztic looking ceramic implants that are remarkably durable and has better soft tissue response, improved biocompatibility and leading to lower plaque accumulation.
On the other hand, titanium implants have been around longer and have been research more extensively. While there is a greater chance to develop an allergy to titanium, allergies are still extremely rare, and the strength and fracture resistance of titanium is widely superior. Moreover, when it comes to complex oral rehabilitations, titanium is almost always considered to be the best and healthiest choice.
