I have a pretty good metal allergy. It’s enough where I cannot wear things that have metal buckles on clothes and sandals, etc. I’ve recently also lost my first tooth. I would certainly prefer to get a dental implant. However, as they are made out of metal, will that prevent me from getting one? If so, is there a decently equal option?
Bernie
Dear Bernie,
That metal allergy sounds like it would be frustrating. You didn’t say which metals you have an allergy to. Traditional dental implants are made from titanium. This is typically very biocompatible. It’s been used for decades in many prosthetics. If your allergy isn’t to titanium, then I’d go ahead with the traditional dental implant. They have decades of data behind them showing their longevity.
If it does turn out you are allergic to titanium, you can still get a dental implant, but you would need to find a dentist who is willing to provide a zirconia implant. These are relatively new. As a result, there isn’t the same amount of data behind them to show us their longevity.
There are metal-free dentists as well as holistic dentists who will be willing to work with you. Just make sure they have the appropriate dental implant training to do the procedure properly. They’d need to have post-doctoral training.
Cosmetic Considerations with a Dental Implant
You didn’t say where your missing tooth was placed. If it happens to be a front tooth, you may want to consider getting your teeth whitened before you have the crown of your implant made. Once the crown is completed, the color is permanent and will not change even if you whiten your teeth.
Getting your teeth whitened ahead of time, will make sure your teeth is the color you want before your crown is made. You can whiten your teeth afterward, but it will require replacing the crown if you want it to match the new color of your teeth.
This blog is brought to you by Des Moines Dentist Dr. Phelan Thomas.