Zirkolith ® Implants: Two-Piece & Tapered All-Zirconia Implants

zirkolith-z5mt-1Continuing our discussions on interesting new products in implant dentistry, we wanted to open this post up to a discussion of Zirkolith all-zirconia Implants, by Z-Systems, and share a surgical video demonstrating extraction and immediate placement of the Z5m(t) implant. With more than a decade of clinical experience in Europe, Zirkolith implants are a leading solution for naturally white, metal-free zirconia dental implants.

Presently, there are two basic Zirkoith implant lines:

  • Z5c Two-Piece Zirconia Implant Similar benefits as today™s 2 piece systems, superior aesthetics, no gray rings, white implant, innovative chair-side abutment individualization, and more…(Learn More.)

  • Z5m(t) implant: The first ever FDA approved all-zirconia tapered implant Offers similar benefits to today™s titanium tapered implants, no galvanic reaction or grey shine through. The Z5m(t) also possesses customizable abutment technology, aggressive threads for high primary stability in poor bone quality situations, and works with most of today™s commercial available restorative products. It™s a simple system to use and is now available…(Learn More.)

Video: Extraction and immediate placement of a Zirkolith Z5m(t) implant

12 Comments on Zirkolith ® Implants: Two-Piece & Tapered All-Zirconia Implants

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Dr. Max Maddaox
8/18/2015
Can we stop calling Zirconia "metal free." Zirconia is made of Zirconium dioxide (Zirconium is a metal number 40 on the periodic table, and right under Titanium). Just because it is white it does not mea it is metal free. So all of the so called holistic dentists that preach metal free implants need to look at their high school chemistry book once more.
Phil
8/18/2015
This topic of "metal-free" has been discussed in the past on this website and your comment is not entirely correct. Readers should refer to this link: http://www.osseonews.com/are-zirconium-restorations-really-metal-free/. Another interesting post can be found here: http://www.ceraroot.com/2011/02/zirconium-metal-or-ceramic/ -Then you can head over to Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zirconium_dioxide - there are also many other resources people can consult. Suffice to say - Zirconia and Zirconium are different terms. Zirconia, which is what these implants are made of, is a ceramic. Is salt a metal because Sodium is a metal?
Phil
8/18/2015
To follow up: In case anyone is interested in the chemistry of Ceramics, this is a good read: http://www.chemistryexplained.com/Bo-Ce/Ceramics.html - the point basically is that even if chemically ceramics are composed of metallic and nonmetallic elements, ceramics are considered nonmetallic by definition. It's kind of like the fact that humans share 95%+ of our genome with a mice, so does that make a human a mouse? I guess one could go on forever arguing whether there are semantic differences between saying something is metal-free vs nonmetallic, but it's not really productive or relevant really. These zirconia implants are ceramic, and not metal, and hence quite different than the metal titanium implants.
um
8/18/2015
Table salt isn't a metal, nor is it "metal-free."
Phil
8/18/2015
This is moot point. Technically, of course there is a metallic element, in many ceramics. But, a ceramic is not a metal. Perhaps these companies should have called their implants, nonmetallic implants, but I don't think it sounds as good from a marketing perspective; the word free is the most powerful word in marketing. Nevertheless, personally for me, if a material is not a metal, then saying it is metal free is basically equivalent.
Sammy Noumbissi
8/25/2015
Its interesting how passionate people get about this issue. Zirconium is a metal and zirconium dioxide is a moncrystalline ceramic also called zirconia. The same applies to Alumina, Yttria and even Titania which are oxides of transitional metals. Those oxides are crystalline and ceramic. Now the zirconia implants are made of zirconia, yttria and alumina and the proper name is Yttria stabilized tetraragonal zirconia, which by virtue of its content and manufacturing process is a polycrystalline bioceramic. You also have another formulation of zirconia implants like that of SDS implants which are made of Alumina Toughened Zirconia (ATZ) which is also a ceramic. The tetragonal stage is actually on step before the cubic stage and the last time I checked cubic zirconia was not a metal. Ceramic implantology is here to stay and unfortunately for some will not go away. In Europe it is growing very fast and the last time I checked there are 16 metal free implant manufacturers one of which is Straumann. So to all my implantologists colleagues change is already on the way, patients are aware and belive in these implants, and what bothers me the most is when they come to my office they have done their homework and they sometimes deplore the fact that so many of us unwittingly refuse to even admit the possibility of ceramic metal free implants. In closing why is it so easy to admit a bruxir zirconia crown is ceramic but oppose so much uneducated resistance to the fact that a zirconia implant is a ceramic. I just smh
John B.
8/18/2015
To add another couple of facts: The material that comes into contact with tissue(s) when a titanium implant is used in the body is its surface oxide, which is TiO2. This is a strongly adherent, highly chemically-protective oxide that is distinct (in terms of where it exists -- on the surface -- and in terms of its properties) from pure metal Ti. Likewise, the Zr oxide, of which the zirconia implant is made, has a surface that is an oxide, zirconia. The key point here is that in reality, when either implant is placed in the bone (and soft tissues), there will always be an oxide substance-- not a pure metal (Ti or Zr) -- in contact with the body tissue(s). So what's the difference whether you have Ti oxide or Zr oxide next to tissue? There isn't really much difference, actually, in terms of tissue response. This is well known in the dental implant field. One suspects that an aspect of the appeal of a zirconia implant is that some patients are fearful of "metals" in the body, and this fear has been stoked by folks who would just as soon have another implant on the market -- in this case a white Zr oxide implant (fair enough, it's a free market out there). However, the fact is that, in reality, no "pure" metal is ever in contact with the body when a typical titanium (or zirconia) dental implant is used because there is always a ceramic oxide on the implant's surface.
Ernest
8/19/2015
I'm not too interested in the metal non-metal debate. I would like to know of long term (8-9 year) independent papers showing success rates.
Nikolas jimenez
8/19/2015
The issue with the metal content of both implant material types is the degree of interference on meridians( electromagnetic circuits of the body).
Alex
8/20/2015
I think that "metallic or nonmetallic" has become philosophical point so far. Exaggerated holistic principles made a zirconia scalpel available inside Z system surgical set. I've seen the surgery, everything was holistically white except for the sutures, that were equipped with a good old carbon steel needle!!! I think there are other major issues concerning zirconia implants. Osseointegration is not an issue, multiple papers have enlightened us. I remember I've read that alumina implants were never commercialized due to stress shielding issues??? And zirconia ones don't share the same problem? The majority of zirconia implants are one piece implants due to fracture susceptibility in thin profiles. I would like to hear what kind of technology can strengthen Zirkoliths, so they are safe to torque. And what about zirconia aging issues. Is this still relevant?
Sammy Noumbissi
8/25/2015
The issue of aging has been in my estimation 95% solved because of the polycrystalline structure of the modern ceramic implant. The iriginal ones were zirconia only and did not fare well in the wet environment. We are conducting a comparative aging study and results will be available and published by the end of 2016. Stay tuned.
John
8/26/2015
Regarding this new two-piece implant. The abutment is seated into the implant and retained with cement. I am fearful that this cement will cause bone loss. Anyone have experience??

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