Monolithic or Hybrid: Zirconia Restorations Options for All-on-X Implants

If you’re dealing with missing teeth, you probably know by now that All-on-X implants are among the best treatment options for full-arch procedures. From added comfort and exceptional strength delivering a strong bite and chewing force to easy upkeep and a natural-looking aesthetic, All-on-X implants can elevate your quality of life in more ways than one. But how about implant materials? This is where Zirconia comes to the fore.

The purpose of this blog is to discuss Zirconia as the preferred material of choice for full-arch dental implant procedures. Choosing Zirconia is truly the state-of-the-art option and the best that money can buy. The issue is, however, that patients are often misled or misinformed because not all Zirconia options are created equal. Let’s take a look at what we mean when we talk about Zirconia implants and what the available options are.

What are the two types of zirconia used in dental implants?

Zirconia dental restorations can be either monolithic or hybrid. Monolithic zirconia means that the restoration/bridge is made fully from Zirconia and Zirconia alone. The bridge is milled out of Zirconia to sit directly on top of titanium implant attachments, called abutments. However, this option creates several problems.

First, zirconia is a very brittle material, especially in areas where it is thin, around the finely manufactured/milled attachments to titanium abutments. Think of two spaceships docking together… Ideally, you want the docking mechanism to be made from the same materials, right? The reason is that if one material is softer or more brittle than the other, there will always be wear and tear, with excessive force fracturing and loosening of the docking mechanism. It’s absolutely the same with dental bridges—we chew roughly 2000 times per day. That’s 2000 times that the bridge is squeezed, flexes, compresses, extends, etc. And that’s just in a single day. 

Imagine a weaker, brittle material (in this case, Zirconia) flexing against a stronger metal material, such as titanium. There will undoubtedly develop cracks, chips, and weak spots that can lead to prosthesis loosening and not functioning as well as intended. In fact, that’s exactly what eventually happens when we are talking about monolithic Zirconia.

So how can we take advantage of Zirconia’s other positive properties (superior aesthetics and strong compressive strength)? We combine it with a Titanium skeleton to engage the implant abutments, and we make the outer shell that is solely responsible for esthetic appearance and chewing function (compressive strength) out of Zirconia. In other words, we do a hybrid (not a monolithic) Zirconia prosthesis.

One more point to keep in mind—monolithic Zirconia prosthesis are cheap to make, especially if suboptimal, cheap Zirconia milling discs are used. There is also a lot less work time for the dental lab to make the monolithic Zirconia prosthesis, because they don’t have to design two separate elements (titanium backbone and zirconia envelope) that have to fit each other like a glove. It’s much cheaper and faster to just make one big blob of a restoration out of cheap Zirconia, but of course, charge the patient a “premium” price for the product. Don’t get pulled into this trap!

Just remember, not all Zirconia All-on-X implants are created equal. Always do your research, so you have enough information to make a deliberate decision and demand only the best for yourself.

Who can I call for dependable All-on-X implants near me in Temecula, CA?

If you’re looking for trusted and respectable professionals in full-arch solutions, Temecula Dental Implants & Oral Surgery is the top-rated team of specialists in All-on-X implants in the Greater Los Angeles area. We’ve made a name for putting patients’ long-term wellbeing first and ensuring their comfort throughout the process, from initial consultation and surgery to after care and recovery guidance.

Book your free initial consultation with our caring team, and we’ll outline your options, create a personalized treatment plan just for you, and make sure that you’re comfortable, confident, and supported every step of the way. Call us today!