Sarah, a potential dental implant patient, asks:
I am allergic to titanium. This has been confirmed by my health care giver. However, I want to get dental implants. Is there any other material used as an alternate to titanium in the implant fixtures? I have heard carbon and porcelain are alternative materials. Please let me know what my possibilities are. Thanks.
Allergic to Titanium: What are My Options for Implants?
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Zirconium implant is relatively a new option for you…
There are zyrconia implants like White Sky, that are monoblock type implants, and that are a real option for you.Also Rocksolid from straumann is a combination that may also help you
best of luck
There are two that I know of….Ziterion (made of bioceramic material) and TBR (zirconia material) You will need to find a prominent surgeon that will be willing to buy all the specialty tools to be able to place the implant. You may be able to find those specific surgeons by contacting the manufacturer…BioDent(ziterion) is in UK….Biodent Systems Biodent Systems, Suite 210, Coborn House, 3 Coborn Road, Docklands, London E3 2DA
Tel: 0844 335 1070 E-mail: sales@biodent-systems.com and TBR is in France. Good Luck!
Dear Sarah,
I strongly recommend zircon implants. The bio compatibility of this implant is really impressive. We’ve been working on metal free implants in my clinic since 2005, so we have mid term results showing the amazing results on our patients. The one we elected is from a German/Swiss based company called Z-Systems. This is not only a simple and effective system, but also a very convenient one piece component that avoid all the abutments from regular titanium systems. The behavior of Zircon facing soft tissue and bone really works, showing perfect osseointegration and unbelievable aesthetics due to white colored high tech ceramics. Besides, it has all CE certifications, FDA approval and Anvisa approval too. I would recommend though that you take a clifford test first on Zircon Oxide due to your allergic component. Good Luck!
I have only ever heard of one truly documented case of titanium allergy. Have you seen an allergist to confirm you are allergic? How did you come to get tested for a titanium allergy (did you have previous joint surgery?) as this seems like a weird allergy to be tested for. Just wondering.
I’m with Aaron. See an allergist (MD who specializes and has residency training in this discipline) and let them test you, probably with a skin patch or some variant. It’s simple, cheap, and reliable. Titanium is highly biocompatible. Our profession has 0ver 30 years experience with titanium. Other materials are recent or less proven. Just some thoughts….
You should get titanium implants bc you probably don’t have an allergy to it… or you can just get a zirconia based implant and have it fracture shortly after due to a reaction with fluids/water, then have someone remove it, place another, then removed, place another, etc….
please note that there are many brands of implants which are used to titanium alloys in making implants so i agree with whose are believe in allergist consultation. since the true allergic reaction to titanium are very rare and these are different in alloys in comparison to CP titanium i strongly recommend to consult with allergist for best evaluation of patient. zirconia has never osseointegrated to bone as titanium or titanium alloys can do.
There are ‘allergies’ that one can have to certain substances that don’t cause you to break out in hives or go into anaphylactic shock. They are real and they manifest themselves over time. This is why we are seeing long term immune assaults on people with titanium implants and/or replacement surgeries. It is a very real reaction that needs to be dealt with. What good is using titanium (that will last forever) if it is wreaking havoc with one’s immune system, and instead of just having an infected/rotten tooth, now they have rheumatoid arthritis?
This is real. I hope Sarah was able to discern what she needs to do for her particular situation. Please write and tell us your outcome. All the best!
Trouble is in the United States there are NO approved dental materials (metals and other) patch tests and most allergists will not help you w/o that.
Also, each product contains different ingredients and alloyes almost always contain some nickel or other allergent. I am severely allergic to many metals..confirmed nickel was “off the charts”..worst case they’d ever seen which I’d know obviously for my entire life.
The blood test does not do well as it’s “pure” they test for and it only reacts when the item in question IS already in you.
STUPID is that there is no sure fire way to know AHEAD of time if you will have a reaction..to me this is unacceptable..especially considering costs. I also think this form of dentistry s/b considered and covered as MEDICAL.
I’ve had 2 titanium implant procedures with 2 diffenrent surgeons and both implants didn’t take which caused me tremendous pain. I also had titanium screws inserted into my mouth giving me alot of pain. Upon removal the pain disappeared. I’ve asked a few dentist about this problem, with the majority saying that there is no such allegic reaction to titanium. Why don’t I believe them ???
Zimmer dental, former Sulzer-Calcitek, stil have HA-(hydroxylapatit) coated implants. By using casted abutments the problem might can be evitated. The suprastucture should overcome any metal of the abutments- eg. Zirkonia crowns or bridge, and be cemented.
These HA-implants heel quite well and also fast.
Faster and more secure then Zirkonia implants. They work even in a periodontic compromised oral situations.
Their disadvantage is that in some individuals the HA
coating disolves over the years. Then the titanium-alluminium-vanadium alloy gets exposed. The better the coating (cristaliniy degree) the later this happens. They can work from 8years to 15,inimum. Exposition doesn`t come over night- but gradualy. Therfore a immediate or a delayed immediate response can be excluded. This might be therefore be a solution for about 10 years oral function.
Although extremly rare, allergic reaction is far more often seen in pure titanium implants then in titanium alloys of TiAlVa or Ti/Al/Niob or Molybden.
Pure Titanium is very reactive and might get binded to organic substrate which then promotes the allergic answer. Therefore a more inert Ti-alloy might be even more secure, as it interacts not that fast with the tissue. This can be seen on the fact that bone attachment is usualy tighter and faster with pure ti-implants then in Ti-alloy-implants.
Beware the cosmetics and sun blocker you use !!!!! Especially those based on called “nano”-Ti-particles…
Transpiration sweat is very aggressive and can induce allergic response to materials we never had problem with. Oral saliva usualy “buffers” reaction.
Did you have any skin reaction on one of those products containig Titaniumoxides ? If not, the statement “allergic to tianium” might be false ?!
If metal allergy is consistent- (beware false positive results) remove all metall in mouth. Usualy allergic response is seen on epidermis. Very rare in mouth altough number of reported cases seems to grow.
But autoimmunedeficiency raised as well as the number of prothetic treatments and envireonmental influence and stress.
I had a hip replaced with titanium. The dr confirms thru xray that it is in properly. I live with constant pain and stiffness that changes by the minute and radiates through my pelvis and legs. Could I have an allergy to titanium?
Their is such a thing as an allergy or sensitivity to Titanium. A test was developed in Europe to detect and measure Titanium allergies. This test is also available in the US. Goolge Titanium allergy test and I’m sure you will find it. It’s called Melisa.
Even low grade allergies are causing significant symptoms. In the case of implants, the few people that report having them removed also report immediate improvement.
Their are hundreds of people on the web reporting similar symptoms to Titanium.
“Titanium allergy is barely recognized in mainstream medicine – yet laboratories using the MELISA® technology have reported that about 4% of all patients tested to titanium will be allergic to it (Valentine-Thon E., et al. “LTT-MELISA® is clinically relevant for detecting and monitoring metal sensitivity”. Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2006; 27(Suppl 1):17–24). For those affected with titanium allergy, the symptoms can be multiple and bewildering. These can range from simple skin rashes to muscle pain and fatigue.”
I had transplants in September 2009 December 16th 2009 very sick and have never been allergic to anything and now 5th time to almost die and surgeon contacted today 25th Jan 2010 going tomorrow morning I have not been in pain other than swelling tongue not breathing and and almost dead We will see wish me luck.
Lisa Eads
Lisa: It’s interesting that you have these symptoms! I have found through the years that it is females that have these unusual allergies to metals.
I had bone tumor & metal rods placed in my femor a 1 yr & 6 months ago .. I have developed skin burning over my neck chest severe. Some times I burning all over & my tongue burns. I have been to 7 dr. Could this be form the 3 rods in my femur carol
Carol: This sounds more like a vitamin B 12 deficiency, but see what your Drs. say. With a vit B 12 deficiency, you need to eat beef liver or receive the B 12 injections. The body does not uptake B 12 via tablets or injections.
Correction on the last thread last word should read capsules, not injections.
Dear Richard Hughes, DDS,FAAID, FAAIP.DABOI
My B12 was normal. Tsh Normal All bld normal carol
Carol: keep an eye on the situation and as you already have consult with your physician. Some things are not clear cut. Have you seen a rheumatologist? Pernicious anemia (B 12 def) sneaks up on people very slowly.