Implants
Metal-free implants for patients with allergies or aesthetic priorities.
Zirconia (zirconium dioxide) is a high-strength ceramic that's been used in dentistry since 2010. While titanium is still the gold standard for most cases, zirconia is the preferred option when: (1) you have a documented metal allergy; (2) you have very thin gum tissue where a titanium implant could create a grayish shadow; (3) you prefer a fully metal-free mouth for personal/health reasons.
Performance is comparable to titanium with a 95–97% 10-year success rate. Surgical protocol is the same: placement, 3–6 month healing, then crown.
Per-implant pricing: $1,000 (Straumann PURE Ceramic implant + abutment + CBCT planning + surgery; crown quoted separately).
We use Straumann PURE Ceramic exclusively — the FDA-cleared metal-free implant from the same Swiss manufacturer as our titanium systems. Crown is layered porcelain on zirconia core for natural translucency.
Mechanically yes — zirconia has comparable fracture resistance for crown and single-tooth applications. For full-arch (All-on-4 type) titanium remains preferred due to longer track record.
No. Zirconia is naturally white (slightly off-white like a tooth root) so even with thin biotypes there's no gray shadow.
Identical surgical protocol. Same anesthesia, same healing time, same prosthetic options.
The material itself costs more and requires a more careful surgical technique, but at our clinic the implant-phase price is similar to titanium — see the live price list. The crown is quoted separately.
Same as titanium: lifetime against implant body failure, 5 years on the crown.