I am not from U.S. but can come there for treatment if needed. I need two dental implants. My worry is metal allergies. I can’t wear anything that has nickel, cobalt, or chromium. Is it still possible for me to get a dental implant if I come to U.S.? Here I can only get metal ones.
Prisha
Dear Prisha,
I’m glad you wrote. The metal allergies you wrote about are some of the more “common” ones, though certainly no allergy is common to those who have it. It affects how you are able to go about your life. The good news is the metal in dental implants is titanium. Not only is that not one of the listed allergies you mentioned, but titanium is extremely biocompatible. It has been used as a prosthetic in the human body for decades, including hip replacements with great success. It is more than likely you can have a traditional dental implant placed with no allergy issues.
However, you have options if you are still uncomfortable with it. You didn’t mention the country you are living in, so I don’t know what is available in the country you live; however, in the United States, many dentists also offer metal-free zirconia implants. Not every dentist is offering this yet, so you may have to search for a metal-free dentist or a holistic dentist.
Some Dental Implant Considerations
When choosing a dentist to do your dental implant, I’d like you to consider a few things. First, do they have advanced training in this procedure? Here in the United States, a dentist has to seek post-doctoral training to learn this procedure. It is not typically taught in dental school.
Second, it is important you find a dentist who can do both the surgery and the implant, not a dentist who has to send you to an oral surgeon. Many communication errors happen when you have to work with two different care givers. If it is impossible for you to find that where you are, make sure you see the dentist first. They are the one who should determine the placement of the implant, not the surgeon.
Finally, if the dental implant will be placed in a visible part of your smile, it is best if your dentist is also a skilled cosmetic dentist so the implant crown will not only be attractive, but to blend in naturally with the remainder of your teeth.
I hope this helps. This blog is brought to you by Des Moines Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Phelan Thomas.