Ceramics WILL replace titanium, BUT...
When in the 60's and 70' of last century, the first ceramic implants were inserted, this was not a real success. The former Tübingen implant had high failure rates due to incomplete healing and fractures and therefor was unacceptable for general use. These complications caused the initial (and actual) skepticism around ceramic implants. The general consensus was that ceramic materials would never be strong enough for use as dental implant material.
More than 50 years later the public opinion completely changed. Recent publications by Albrektsson and De Bruyn (2016) stated that titanium can give more foreign body reactions then we think, leading to the actual and future tsunami of peri-implantitis. But more important, the actual zirconium di-oxide ceramics have all necessary properties as safe and successful dental implants.
We know that not only the safety is of importance, but also the excellent tissue compatibility (less bacterial adhesion / better soft tissue acceptance), the outranging esthetics and only the exceptional appearance of peri-implantitis, play a decisive role.
But, just as with titanium implants, there are different suppliers who offer different kind of products. These differences are not only limited to implant-shape or geometry, implant surface characteristics or the specific ceramic material used; but there is moreover a difference between systems only offering 1-phase implants or 2-phase implants and systems who spent money on prior peer-reviewed scientific research or companies who don't.
Some companies just select a "media genius" surgeon to promote their products that often have no scientific background. In other cases "media horny" surgeons start their own pseudo-scientific organization to promote their self and/or the products of the company. These both situations lead to complete confusion at patient level. A gullible patient will not know that behind the facade of a good surgeon, there is an inferior product; whereas other patients don't know that good products are also used by narcissistic surgeons with inferior capacities...
Therefor it will be important to create soon a worldwide list of well trained and well experienced surgeons in the field of ceramic implantology AND a list of well established and well documented products, so that the patient/consumer is well informed to take the step to metal-free implantology.
Thriving Biological Dentistry and Medicine Practice
7 年Www.IDEUconferenceMUNICH.org , the 2nd Annual IAOMT Doctors of Europe conference in Munich, Germany, May 10-12 2018, will feature zirconia implants lectures as well as many other interesting topics.
Owner/Operator at Robert A Lamont DDS
7 年BioImplant
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7 年A Ceramic Implant Academy is an excellent idea. I have been using ceramic implants since 2011. There is a learning curve in acquiring techniques and expertise to properly place one piece ceramic implants. In my experience a clinician can expect superior and aesthetic results when using ceramic over titanium implants. I started using the Z-Systems one and two piece ceramic implants since July 2016. The 2 piece will give the clinician some flexibility on angling the abutment specially in the upper anterior. I have had great success with this system with no per-implantitis so far. They are also coming up with the bone level Implant which will help to have an other tool to address the patient's needs. I believe ceramic implants have been a game changer in the field of Implant dentistry.
Home Care specialist in Presure Wounds Faunder of Dantes Med-Care | Marketing Specialist in Medical Devices | Sales Manager in Medical Products over 15 years
7 年Huge success..a game changer????