Ceramic Dental Implants vs Titanium Implants

Ceramic implant in Hungary – the solution for metal and hypoallergenic patients

Metal allergy is no longer an obstacle – Zirconium implants and crowns at amazing prices in Budapest

The spread of the ceramic implants and other metal-free materials, e.g. the zirconium crowns is unstoppable. This is clearly due to the constantly growing demand, as thanks to these metal-free implants, patients with metal allergies are already requesting and receiving such implants, patients for whom this was not an option until now. There are others who choose this solution for aesthetic reasons. What may have hindered their spread to some extent was the price, and perhaps the fact that, at first, they did not have the same quality and durability as the traditional titanium implants. Now, to everyone’s delight, their prices are barely 20-30% higher than the prices of traditional implants, while they already represent a similar level in terms of quality.

The dental application of zirconia-ceramics started around 3 decades ago and dentists from Hungary where among the first to use it and its success has been unbroken ever since. Zirconium, used for crowns and implants, offers a solution in dentistry that can be used to make permanent and natural tooth replacements.

Thanks to the amazing development of dental implantation, today we have the opportunity to replace the missing tooth not (only) with a titanium artificial root, but with the most modern zirconia-ceramic implant, which at the end will be completed with an aesthetic zirconia crown.

A zircon tooth or crown is a metal-free replacement where the materials that come into direct contact with our body, like the artificial root (dental implant) and the crown, are both made of zircon-ceramic. This solution, in addition to completely avoiding and solving the problem of metal allergy, also provides a natural and elegant effect.

When are the ceramic dental implant and crown recommended?

A dental implant is an artificial root that can be permanently and safely fixed in the jawbone and due to its stimulating effect, just like a real tooth root, it can even support the maintenance of jawbone mass and volume. Due to the clinical research and the rapid development of the production and design, in addition to the one-part zirconium artificial root (implant and abutment form a single unit), improved two-part dental implants also appeared and we like to use those at our clinic in Budapest.

• Represents an ideal alternative for those who do not want any metal implants in their body or due to their already existing metal allergy, as a precaution, do not undertake titanium dental implants.
• The zirconium implant has become suitable for replacing both front and back teeth.
• The zirconium tooth can consist of a one-part or two-part artificial root implanted in the jawbone and the zirconium dental prosthesis fixed to it. This can be e.g., a zirconium-ceramic crown, a dental bridge or perhaps an “all-on-6” zirconium denture fixed on 6 implants, also known as a bridge prosthesis.
• The aesthetic plus, provided by the white zirconia implant, can be an important aspect for those who need to replace missing tooth in the front region.

Advantages of zirconium-ceramic implants

Dental bridges and dentures are excellent replacement option in case of smaller or bigger lack of teeth, however modern dentistry tends towards the dental implants. While titanium was used for decades for implant interventions, as their alternative, the zirconium implant, is now gaining more and more success and popularity.

• It is biocompatible, this means that the zircon-ceramic is a biomaterial that can interact with the body, yet does not cause harmful effects. This made it suitable for the hard tissue of the body, e.g. to replace the function of the tooth.
• It’s a perfect alternative in case of allergy to metals, as the zirconium-ceramic is a hypoallergenic material.
• The ceramic implant has ideal ossification characteristics, it is stably and permanently fixed in the bone.
• It can be loaded well and it is highly resistant to the chewing forces, just like a titanium implant.
• If infection occurs and an inflammation develops around it, the lost amount of bone can be restored with bone replacement surgery.
• Due to the material structure, represents a less suitable environment for bacteria that cause inflammation and bone loss.
• Due to the special material structure, it is completely resistant to corrosion.
• The white color of the dental implant ensures a similar appearance to the natural teeth even with a thinner gum and no gray discoloration occurs, as can happen some times in cases of titanium implants.

Consultation, planning and preparation

First comes a recent panoramic x-ray and Ct-scan made at our clinic, this is followed by a consultation, where the dentist or dental surgeon discuss the options and also prepares a detailed health analysis. He examines your oral status, compares them with your panoramic X-ray and talk over your ideas and expectations.

Aesthetic consultation

It often happens that the plan is more detailed than it is expected and this is normal when the dentist thinks and acts with responsibilty. He focuses not only on the patient’s expectations, but also on the existing, but often hidden problems, as well as on the changes detected by X-rays and CT scans, problems, which are recommended or should be treated, thus preventing a possible later problem.

Implantation consultation

The dentist or the oral surgeon prepares the treatment plan based on the panoramic X-ray or CT scan and then plans the surgery, for which the following aspects are essential:

• Is there an underlying disease, bad habit, or lifestyle factor that would endangers the implantation itself?
• Is there a bad tooth, peace of broken root or cyst that can cause or keep inflammation in the mouth?
• Will the implant replace an already missing tooth or the tooth still needs to be extracted before the implantation?
• Is there bone enough or will bone replacement/augmentation or sinus-lift surgery be necessary?
• How delicate is the situation, is it indicated the use the “smart-guide”, or also called the template-controlled guided implantation?

Smile design

Our dentists and technicians in Hungary, do evrything professional, so that patients has no doubts left before the treatment about replacing missing teeth or completely changing the smile, which is why they recommend smile planning.

• Smile design is made based on the photos taken of the actual smile, but also on photos made in younger age, with the help of which, the doctor/technician makes visible in advance what would otherwise only be revealed after weeks or months.
• Before a bigger dental treatment or full reconstruction, we recommend making a temporary smile model, which is made based on the impression taken from the teeth and the agreed smile plan. This smile model in the form of a dental prosthesis, which is often referred to as “Wax-up”, is prepared in advance, so the patient knows exactly what the end result can be expected to be.

Placing the ceramic implant and preparing the crown

Implantation

The oral surgery treatment in Budapest, is performed by the dentist under sterile conditions and under local anesthesia or even under general anesthesia. The dentist replaces the missing bone, in the case of the upper jaw – if necessary – he makes room for the implant by elevating the sinus mucosa or when the conditions are ideal, he simply places the implants.

• After the surgery, you receive detailed description and information on what to take care of and pay attention, while the surgical area heals.
• It is important to take good care of the mouth, to keep the teeth, the area around the wound, and the sutures clean.
• You will get prescription or medication to help prevent infection and minimize pain, usually an antibiotic and a painkiller.
• It is important to rest after surgery, means to avoid physical work, so that the body can use its energies for healing.

Zirconium crown preparation

The key is the accurate impression and choose the right tooth color. This should be a basic step everywhere in the world, not only in Hungary, but unfortunately, countless new patients arrive to our clinic in Budapest, in whose case it clearly seems that this was not followed in their previous place, of course respect for the exception, from which fortunately there are plenty of.

• The traditional impression-taking method usually is performed with the help of a harder and a more liquid material.
• The most modern and convenient impression-taking technique is digital scanning of the teeth, which is the digital impression-taking. Anyone can take advantage of the opportunity, but those with pharyngeal sensitivity can certainly avoid discomfort and also the dentist can work faster and more efficiently.

Whichever one is chosen, the accuracy is extremely important in our clinic in Budapest, since the dentist and dental technician will work and design the dental crown on the basis of these impressions.

Placing a zirconium crown – gluing or screwing?

When gluing: With a special dental crown adhesive, the doctor fits and fixes the crown or bridge in to its place.

When screwing: If a crown or bridge has been made, in a way that they can be attached to the implant using the screw technique, then glue will only be needed for the own original teeth. In return, the implant crowns, prosthesis can be removed without cutting and can be easily reattached if necessary, e.g. to repair the zirconium crown. Another screw-fixed solution is, for example the “all-on-6” system.

Eating, chewing: It is not advisable to eat immediately after gluing the crown. It is recommended to wait 2-3 hours before the first meal. No matter how professional the glue is, which holds the crown very strongly in just 1-2 hours, the final 100% effect is usually only achieved 24 hours after gluing.

Zircon implant and tooth as a biocompatible dental solution

Over the past few years, the well visible trend is to increasingly avoid the use of substances that are burdensome to our bodies and turn to natural, organic materials instead. In this spirit, for the sake of our health, the need to avoid metals and other allergens even during dental treatments, arises in more and more people.

Sensitivity to materials, allergies, is not something we are born with, but develops in our body over the time, during repeated contacts with allergens. As a consequence, dental allergy can develop at any age and in anyone. So when we face a dental treatment, it is also advisable to choose the least reactive and least burdensome materials when deciding about dentures and dental implants.

This is why zirconia ceramic is an excellent material for both crowns and implants, as it offers a reliable and successful treatment alternative for those who want to avoid metals due to their personal preferences and require hypoallergenic crowns and implants.

Durability and warranty

Several well-known and reliable manufacturing companies, including Straumann, NobelBiocare or Neodent, not to mention all, have launched the zirconium-dioxide ceramic implants in addition to their well proven titanium implants.

Already in the beginning, ceramic implants had excellent biological properties, but unfortunately, due to the fragility of the material, the breakthrough did not happen. On the other hand, zirconium-dioxide already shows similar or better biological characteristics to titanium, but unlike aluminum-oxide, its strength and mechanical properties and at the same time, its durability are also adequate. After that, there was no doubt about the breakthrough and its success.

Time, tests and experience have all proven the extraordinary quality and durability of ceramic implants. Therefore, manufacturing companies, similar to titanium implants, generally offer a 10-year warranty, but for certain products even a lifetime guarantee, of course, in compliance with the warranty regulations. In the absence of these, the guarantee is not or only rarely applicable.

Are ceramic dental implants affordable?

This is the question that takes everything. So let’s see how dental replacement prices are developing these days?

The cost largely depends on the dental laboratory selected by the dental clinic, the materials used, the professional work of the team and of course the suppliers. In addition, with the spread of ceramic implants, their prices also became significantly more favorable. The above together makes the costs very affordable. In our dental clinics in Budapest, Hungary, it is not an exaggeration that the dental prices are even 50%-60% more favorable than the prices in other Western European countries, and this is also true for the price of ceramic implants.