Zirconia implants

Last Updated: 14.11.2023

Author: George Ghidrai, MD  

Generally, a dental implant restoration consists of 3 main parts: dental implant, abutment, and prosthetic device. In this article, we'll discuss the first two parts: the dental implant and the abutment.

Initially, both these parts were made of titanium. Titanium was (and still is) the most favored material by most dental clinicians and implant manufacturing companies due to its high biocompatibility.

a. Titanium implant fixture with zirconia abutment

The improvements in new ceramic materials made it possible to have the abutment part made of a special kind of white ceramic called zirconia.

Although pure zirconium is technically a metal (based on its location on the periodic table), the crystalline form used for dental implants and dental restorations (known as zirconia) is more similar to ceramic, so it doesn't act like a metal in the mouth.

Zirconia is commonly known to be more tissue-friendly than titanium, providing better aesthetics. In this variation, the implant fixture is still made of titanium.

b. All zirconia implants

The next step was to develop a complete zirconia implant. In 2011, a one-piece zirconia implant (fixture and abutment) was introduced into the market. Even though relatively new, there has been a considerable increase in the use of these types of implants.

Zirconia implants benefits

• One of the main advantages of a one-piece zirconia implant is that it has no prosthetic connections, where bacteria can grow, and therefore can lead to better gum health.

• Because zirconia is white, it is more aesthetically pleasing and natural-looking. In this case, the entire implant restoration will be metal-free, so the problem of matching the shade of adjacent teeth while hiding the dark color of the metal abutment is avoided.

• Gums are healthier around ceramic materials and better preserved. Because no metal is involved, the color of the gums will remain natural-pink.

• Another quality of zirconia is its resistance to corrosion, which, theoretically, does not apply to titanium. Being a metal, titanium can be subjected to corrosion, although this is highly unlikely.

• Zirconia implants are hypoallergenic, giving patients with titanium allergies (which are extremely rare) an alternative for dental implants.

Drawbacks and concerns

The main problem with zirconia implants is the need for studies examining the chemical and structural composition and the level of osseointegration achieved with zirconia implants.

The studies conducted so far do not allow for the recommendation of the use of zirconia implants in daily practice. However, zirconia dental implants have the potential to become a viable alternative to titanium implants, but they are not yet in routine clinical use.

Conclusion

There is no question that titanium implants have the best long-term data to support their use. The data on zirconia implants is much more limited.

However, zirconia implants have certain advantages, such as superior aesthetics and better gum health around them, but it is not clear how well they integrate with the bone.