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Dental Implants – Pure Titanium or Alloy?
Serving New York City & Manhattan, New York
Over the last decade, dental implant technology has made incredible strides. Originally, the screw was made of pure titanium. Recently however, an alloy, which is the blending of numerous metals, of titanium has been used for many dental implants. This begs the question of which is better, pure titanium or an alloy?
The Process of Dental Implants
The implant dentistry process involves drilling into the gum, inserting a screw made of either pure titanium or alloy, and allowing the bone to grow onto and bond to the screw. This process is known as osseointegration. An implants success is based upon the quality of osseointegration.
Since the discovery that titanium alloy osseointegrates as well as pure titanium, the percentage of titanium alloy dental implants has drastically increased.
Advantages of Alloy Titanium
Simple chemistry proves that a blend of metals is stronger than one single metal. A stronger metal means the likelihood of an implant fracturing or stripping decreases. Additionally, an alloys resistance to deformation is exponentially higher than that of a pure metal. Most often, a titanium alloy implant consists of titanium, aluminum, and vanadium.
If you have an alloy titanium dental implant inserted by a specially trained Manhattan implantologist, it’s highly unlikely that complications will arise down the road.
Titanium Grade
There are five grades of Titanium used for dental implants. Grades one through three are significantly weaker than grades four and five and should never be used for an implant as repetitive stress can easily cause fracture. The impurity levels of grades four and five are lower and their ability to withstand external forces greater, reducing the risk of fracture and deformation.
Why Would Anyone Opt for Pure Titanium?
A small crowd worries about the aluminum level in grade five titanium and the likelihood of it seeping into the body and causing harm. However, no evidence has arisen to warrant such concerns.
Learn more about dental implants by reading our dental implant frequently asked questions.
If you are considering dental implants and live in the Manhattan area, please contact Dr. Michael Iott & Associates today to schedule a consultation where we can answer any of your questions regarding dental implants and address your concerns about alloy titanium.
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