Zirconia: the material of choice in implant dentistry?

Dentistry, in particular implant dentistry is constantly in evolution. Pioneering inventions of yesterday become commonplace today and tomorrow. Where toxic, greyish, amalgam fillings are completely replaced by composites, there is actually an evidence-based trend to replace metal dental implants by porcelain zirconia implants.

However, before using these ceramic implants, it is good to be thoroughly informed about the specific product characteristics of zirconia, the advantages and disadvantages of this material in implant dentistry, the eventual pitfalls in the application and the actual commercial market.

This narrative review will inform you clearly on all these different topics. Moreover, some future perspectives will be highlighted. Finally the specific indications are discussed.

Curd BOLLEN

Associate Professor Implant Dentistry and EACim Member

Professor and Course Leader Implant Dentistry at the College of Medicine & Dentistry (Birmingham, University of Ulster, UK).

1992: DDS – 1996: PhD – 1997: MSc Peridontology – 2016: MClinDent.

Published more then 35 articles in international dental journals. Co-author of 8 books/chapters in books. Editor in chief of the Journal of Dental Health, Oral Disorders & Therapy. International lecturer on ceramic dental implants, LPRF, short implants and halitosis.

Leads a clinic in the Netherlands, limited to periodontology, implant dentistry and halitosis. Practitioner of ceramic implant dentistry since 2009.

N.B. : This article originally appeared in Implant Dentistry Today magazine (volume 14 – issue 2) and is republished with permission.