Hello there,

I am interested in dental implants to restore my smile. The years have not been easy on my teeth. While a dental implant is a little outside my price range at the moment, I have a more pressing concern. I have a severe allergy to metal. I cannot even wear metallic accessories or fashion items. I know I am allergic to nickel and have sensitivities to others metals commonly used in dentistry.

Is it possible to restore my smile without using metal?

Hotaru, from Austin, TX

Hi Hotaru,

Your metal allergies sound serious, however, most dental implants contain titanium. Being allergic to one metal does not mean you will be allergic to all. Titanium is a highly biocompatible metal, but prior to getting any implants, you can opt for an allergy test to put your concerns to rest.

Another option you have is to find a dentist that creates metal-free all-porcelain implants using zirconia or another strong ceramic. It may be difficult to find someone to place an all-porcelain implant, but if a titanium one is out of the question, it can be done.

This blog post is brought to you by Gilbert dentist, Dr. Matthew Roper, of Vista Dorada Dental.