Learn What Dental Implants Are Made Of
The success of dental implants over the past 55 years is primarily thanks to the discovery of materials that could effectively replace natural teeth. The two kinds of dental implant materials that are needed for successful prostheses are:
One that can replace natural tooth roots and fuse with the bone.
One that can replace missing teeth in the mouth, providing the same chewing force and appearance as natural teeth.
There are currently a few materials that check the boxes, some of which have been used for a while and others of which are fairly new. So, what are dental implants made of?
Titanium (Post and Abutment)
Titanium implants were first used by an orthopedic surgeon called Branemark in 1965 and today are considered the gold standard for implants because of their long track record. Both pure titanium and titanium alloys are used to make the post (the artificial tooth root) and the abutment (this connects the post and the crown). Titanium alloy is made up of 90% titanium, 6% aluminum, and 4% vanadium, written as Ti6Al4V.
Titanium has several qualities that make it an excellent material for dental implants:
Titanium fuses with the jaw bone, a process called osseointegration. This provides a strong anchor for each dental implant and prevents bone loss.
Unlike previously used metals which were rejected by the body, titanium dental implants are almost always accepted by the body.
Titanium tooth implants support a normal chewing force and have a 92.6-100% success rate or 97% after five years. Titanium is much less likely to fracture or break than other materials.
Zirconia (Post and Abutment)
Zirconia implants—made from zirconium oxide (ZrO2)—were introduced to implant dentistry in 2005 in Europe and in 2011 in the United States. Zirconia is generating a lot of interest among dental patients looking for a metal-free alternative to titanium. A synthetic mineral rather than a metal, zirconium is often described as being "hypoallergenic" when used in the human body—that is that it doesn’t cause allergies—and comes with the added benefit of being tooth-colored.
Simply because it's so new, there isn't as much research on the benefits and risks of zirconia dental implants as there is on the benefits and risks of titanium implants. However, as this dental implant material is used more and more frequently, we're becoming more familiar with its unique characteristics.
Zirconia implants are more stable than titanium implants.
In some studies, zirconia implants were associated with lower plaque and bleeding scores than titanium under experimental mucositis conditions.
Initial osseointegration is slower for zirconia compared to titanium implants.
Zirconia implants have a slightly lower survival rate compared to titanium implants.
Besides the differences listed above, there is also a structural difference between zirconia and titanium implants: Zirconia implants come in one- and two-part varieties whereas titanium implants always come in two parts. The similarity between the two, however, is that zirconia and titanium have a similar hard and soft tissue integration capacity. In the end, this makes them both suitable choices for dental implants.
Titanium Mixed with Zirconium (Post and Abutment)
A third option for the post and abutment is a mixture of titanium and zirconium (TZ). According to research, this mixture provides the best results in terms of:
Survival rate
Marginal bone loss
Bleeding on probing
The only measure in which TZ is not superior is probing depth, for which titanium produces the best results.
Porcelain (Crown)
The highest-quality dental implant crowns (the visible part of the artificial tooth) are made from a porcelain or ceramic material, which is tooth-colored, biocompatible, and extremely strong. Porcelain restorations—including crowns, bridges, and veneers—don't stain and are made to blend in with the surrounding teeth.
Acrylic (Crown)
Acrylics can be used as lower-cost alternative materials for the crown, including PMMA and MRP composite. Both of these materials are also used in dentures.
Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is a synthetic acrylic material without inorganic fillers.
Microfiller-reinforced polymer matrix (MRP composite) has a highly crosslinked polymer matrix with evenly distributed inorganic polymerized microfillers.
We prefer porcelain over acrylic crowns. While the cost of porcelain dental implants is higher up-front, they look more natural, are stronger, and last longer than acrylics—making them the best choice long-term.
Other Dental Implant Materials
We've covered the most common materials for dental implants. However, there are some alternative materials that have been tried or are being tested for their potential as implant materials:
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) polymers
Stainless steel
Gold
Cobalt-chromium
To date, none of these alternative materials has shown survival rates as good as those of titanium and zirconia, which is why they are not commonly offered by dentists. However, as research into implant materials continues, the range of options for patients can be expected to expand.
Dental Implants Are an Excellent Solution for Missing Teeth
Since titanium's osseointegration potential was discovered, dental implant surgery—including bridgework supported by dental implants—has become a common, near-permanent solution to damaged and missing teeth.
In 2022, the global dental implant market was worth more than $4.5 billion, and this is only expected to grow. Now, with multiple options for the post as well as the crown, replacing a missing tooth with a safe, sturdy prosthesis is easier than ever.