[justinclift]

What's your opinion of Zirconium tooth replacements, as done by BioImplant (www.bioimplant.at)?

From my not-a-dentist :) perspective, the concept sounds workable.

eg creation of the 3D model from scans, using a CNC machine to create the object from Zirconium, etc.

But I've no idea what other parts would need evaluating to make real sense of it. :)

[thedentist1]

It's a cool idea and I'm pretty sure it will be more common in the future, but right now almost nobody uses it for a couple of reasons:

1- You actually need a CAT scan of the tooth you want to replace beforehand..sometimes it's not possible (i.e. people who lost their teeth years ago, and now want to replace them)

2- Costs are probably significantly higher for everyone

3- Normal implants are more versatile, as they are basically hollow screws where you can mount a second screw shaped however you want (a tooth abutment, an attachment, etc) so they are also used to stabilize dentures, to create full mouth reconstructions such as all-on-four etc..this is not possible with these zirconia implants