Chapters authored
Ceramic Biomaterials for Dental Implants: Current Use and Future Perspectives
Although titanium implants have the longest traceable record of predictable clinical performance and by far the widest diffusion in the market, some drawbacks have been recently pointed out. Titanium is not a completely bioinert material, since it may elicit allergenic reactions and is capable to diffuse not only within the adjacent tissues, which is proven by the elevated concentrations found in peri-implant bone and regional lymph nodes, but also systemically. Ceramic materials for oral application have been used for 40 years. Presently, the material of choice is yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia, which presents excellent mechanical and tribological properties together with biocompatibility. Concerns remain about the long-term durability of the material, owing to the report of in vivo failures that were caused by the low-temperature degradation of zirconia. To address this issue, research has developed improved oxide-based materials such as alumina–zirconia composites along with non-oxidic ceramics such as silicon nitride.
Part of the book: Dental Implantology and Biomaterial