You have more options today than ever when getting dental implants. One of the newest options is a choice in the material your implant posts are made of, and now, along with titanium posts, zirconia posts are an option for many people. While both types of posts can lead to long-lasting, strong implants, each has their advantages and disadvantages. Here are two benefits of zirconia implant posts to take into consideration when making this decision with your dentist or implant specialist. 

1. Zirconia Posts Are White

While titanium implant posts have the grey/silver color you would expect titanium to have, zirconia posts are white. In the end, this difference in color doesn't make much different to most people, since implant posts are the part of the implant that is typically not visible. However, people with certain types of gums or dental problems may find a white post beneficial. 

If you have gum recession that you don't plan to obtain grafts or another type of gum surgery to correct, then the edge of your gum line lies closer to the implant post than it would in people without gum recession, and your gum tissue may be very thin near this edge. Some people also have gums that are naturally thin, even when they are healthy. If you obtain implants with titanium posts, this may lead to your gum line taking on a grey-ish appearance, since the color may peak through your thin gums. 

While this is likely to be completely unnoticeable to other people, you can avoid this issue altogether by obtaining zirconia implants that are white and, even if the color peeks through your gums, will just look like your natural bone. 

2. They Are Great for People with Titanium Allergies

Possibly the best benefit to there now being another implant post option is that it takes implant restorations from a dream to a real option if you suffer from a titanium allergy. For years, titanium was the only option in implant posts, because it was the only material found to osseointegrate with human jaw bone, meaning that the bone accepts it as if it was a natural part of it. Unsurprisingly, titanium implants placed in people with allergies to the metal can lead to symptoms ranging from skin rashes to implant failure. 

Zirconia is not only titanium-free, but completely metal-free, and this new type of post can be used with great success in people with titanium allergies or allergies to other metals. 

If you don't know whether you have a titanium allergy or not, then it is a good idea to have yourself tested for this allergy before choosing your dental implant post material. You can request a metal-allergy test from a medical professional that requires just a small sample of your blood. Your lymphocytes are then isolated from the blood, and they are exposed to metals. If your lymphocytes react to the metal, then that means you have an allergy. 

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