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Dental Health and Food: Learning to Eat Better

My intense love for candy, cakes, and everything in between started as a child. I simply couldn't go one day without something sweet to eat. But my love for all things sweet took a toll on my teeth. My dentist diagnosed me with seven cavities, each one a different size and depth. After sitting through four long dental appointments, I decided to make a change. I now monitor my diet and only eat things that benefit my oral health. I'm here to help you take better care of your teeth. My blog offers tips on how to improve your diet, maintain good oral hygiene, and many other topics. Hopefully, you can learn to overcome your bad habits just as I did. Good luck with your future dental health.

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Dental Health and Food: Learning to Eat Better

Why Steel Is No Longer Used For Dental Implant Roots

by Eric Bailey

If you want a lost tooth replaced, then there is a good chance that your dentist will suggest the placement of a dental implant. You must, of course, be healthy, but even if you have some minor oral problems, the implant is likely to be quite successful. The success rate of dental implants is directly linked to the materials that make up the root device. For this reason, titanium is often utilized to form the root device. While steel was used previously, there are several reasons why it is no longer a good choice for implantation.

It Can Cause Allergic Reactions

Whenever an implant is secured in the body, a foreign material is introduced. Since the immune system is responsible for identifying and removing foreign matter, implants can set off an immune response that end in the rejection of the implant device. To reduce this sort of issue, dentists and doctors use materials that are considered biomaterials. Biomaterials are ones that are suitable for the creation of artificial structures to replace bones, organs, or tissues. 

There are a number of biomaterials, and steel is considered one of them. While steel is a metallic biomaterial, there are some individuals who react to surgical steel. This reaction does not involve the steel directly, but the nickel that is mixed into the steel to strengthen it. This type of reaction is due to a nickel allergy. The allergy is common and affects about one in every ten people

Since nickel allergies are an issue for many people, titanium is used instead. While some titanium allergies have been reported, the reactions are usually caused by the impurities in the metal. This is one reason why dental professionals will take great care to use only medical-grade materials in dental procedures, so as to reduce concerns. While this is true, it is wise to communicate allergy issues with your dentist before an implant is secured.

It Is Not As Strong As Titanium

Stainless steel comes in many grades, and this is true of titanium as well. While titanium is considered a weaker metal on its own, it can be strengthened substantially by creating an alloy. Aluminum and vanadium are often mixed with titanium to create the alloy. Not only does this increase the strength, but it remains lightweight. This reduced the stress on the body when a device, like a dental implant, is surgically placed.

Not only is titanium stronger and lighter, but it resists corrosion as well. This means that a single implant is very likely to degrade over time. 

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