Zirconium Implants
Dr. Johnson asks:
Can you please give your opinion on the newer zirconium dental implants that
are being developed for use in the US? I believe Nobel Biocare is
currently testing one called ZiUnite [Zi short for zirconium].
I think that
zirconium dental implants are already being used in Europe but not yet in the
US.
Do you think the zirconium implants will osseointegrate as well as
titanium implants?
Do you think they will fracture more than titanium?
Some people do not want to put metal [titanium] into their bones and
therefore welcome the zirconium implants. And I have read that titanium
dental implants are more prone to inflammation than zirconium implants, and
that inflammation is now being linked to heart disease and cancer so
maybe zirconium dental implants might be safer from an "immune perspective."
All thoughts on this topic will be greatly appreciated.
