Placing ceramic implants is one of my passions in dentistry, partially because implants are the best choice to replace missing teeth. There are different material options in implants: titanium implants and ceramic implants.
Metal Mouth
Titanium implants are made of not only titanium, but rather an alloy of metals. Some of the metals in the alloy are beryllium, aluminum, vanadium, iron, nickel, lead, zinc, chromium, copper, palladium, and manganese. No implant is purely titanium, and not every titanium implant has every metal listed above—it varies upon the brand of the implant company.
Most holistic patients and other earth- and health-conscious families prefer nonmetals in their body. I understand and empathize with them: in dental school, we were taught about galvanism and galvanic current—the generation of electricity by dissimilar metals in a moist environment, such as the mouth. This causes an electric current to pass through the mouth, commonly called battery mouth. So when you have different metals in your mouth, such as gold fillings, silver fillings (called amalgam, which is actually a combination of different metal alloys), and metal implants, you have a constant electric current passing in your mouth.
The Safety of Ceramics
Ceramic implants are extremely biocompatible and are inert, meaning they do not conduct electricity. Ceramic implants come as one-piece or two-piece implants. Two-piece implants have a post that connects the implant in your jaw to the crown outside the gums—so there are actually three pieces involved: the implant, abutment, and crown.
At Dr. Jay Family Dental, we prefer the one-piece implant; specifically, we use the Ceraroot implant. We have state-of-the-art technology, where we take a cone beam computer tomography (CBCT) of the jaw to measure the width, height, and density of jawbone. The cone beam has ultralow dose radiation—a very minimal dose—and is extremely safe. Once we take the CBCT, the procedure is planned with great precision, considering the inclination of the implant and the depth it needs to be placed. The surgical guide, which controls the precise placement of the implant, is then printed.
Next, we draw the patient’s blood and place it in a centrifuge for 3000 rpm for 10 minutes, generating platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). PRF is comprised of leukocytes (white blood cells that fight infection), platelets (which form blood clots to help stop bleeding), fibrin (a protein that forms a mesh to bind all the components of the clot together), cytokines (proteins that have anti-inflammatory property), and stem cells (cells that convert into any type of cell needed by the body and that help in tissue regeneration and wound healing). PRF is an amazing technology that helps in wound healing, and the best part is that it comes from the patient’s own blood. If patients have less bone density, we also use biomimetic bone Cerasorb (phase B-tricalcium phosphate bone) to graft the site, forming a scaffold upon which to form bone, and the scaffold will eventually become resorbed.
In addition to PRF, we use ozone therapy in our dental office. Ozone has been used in the medical and dental fields for more than 20 years and at Dr. Jay Dental, we have a special ozone generator specifically used in dentistry. Ozone therapy modulates immunity, has anti-inflammatory properties, and kills invading bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.
Since Ceraroot implants are one-piece implants, the abutment is attached directly to the implant. The unified structure of abutment and implant gives it more strength and more protection from bacteria. And since it is biocompatible, the gingiva heals very quickly and thoroughly. Once healing takes place I prepare the abutment for a crown, do an intraoral scan, design the crown, and mill it right in the office. Throughout the implant procedure, high-end technology is used with a holistic approach.
Same-Day Results
Ceramic implants can be placed two ways. The preferred method is immediate placement, where the tooth is extracted and a special type of laser (a Fotona laser) is used to clean and debride the socket of abscess and any infected tissue. The implant is placed on the same day, using our PRF and ozone technologies. The second, less appealing method is to extract the tooth, graft bone to the extraction site, and then wait 4 to 5 months before placing the implant.
In addition to the extraction and implant placement being done all on the same day, the advantage of immediate placement with ceramic implant is preservation of bone. For patients who have extreme allergies and need to check for the compatibility of the implant, we have a disc sample of Ceraroot, and testing can be done right in the lab to make sure the ceramic implant is compatible.
When we lose teeth, bone gets resorbed into our bodies—we call this atrophy. This causes imbalances in adjacent teeth. Taking care of the teeth we have and replacing those we have lost is extremely vital for oral health harmony.
Dr. Krithika Jayaprakash DDS, FAGD, NMD, IBDM. Naturopathic dentist specializing in ceramic implants and all your dental needs. To learn more about ceramic implants, visit our website at: www.drjaydental.com/ceramic-implants.
Dr. Jay Dental, 170 Union St., Vernon, CT 06066. 860.875.3349. drjaydental.com.