Dental Implant Materials for Crohn's Disease or Colitis PatientWe understand that patients with Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis may have pain, discomfort, digestion problems, malnourishment and mouth problems. The mouth has been shown to affect the health of the rest of the body as seen in the book, Dirty Mouth.

When considering replacing missing, broken or infected teeth, or replace poor-fitting dentures, it is important to realize that Crohn’s patients get a dry mouth or xerostomia. They are more prone to cavities too. Brushing your teeth twice a day does not prevent cavities. It is important to understand the 7 Minute Window.

Dental implants are the most successful treatment for people with a dry mouth such as in Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. The 3 Minute Implant™ can refresh your smile, restore confidence, improve digestion and reduce discomfort.

The 3 Minute Implant™ includes two types of dental materials:

  1. Titanium – number 22 of the periodic table; bio-inert metal alloy that has been shown to have a 93% success rate over time
  2. Zirconium oxide — number 40 on the periodic table; a bio-inert ceramic oxide that is used for people allergic to metals such as titanium.

The success rate can be between 40-70% due to dental implant fracture of the ceramic material. While safer for metal allergy patients, it is high risk of failure due to stress fractures in the material. It is important to weigh the benefits, risks, alternatives and costs associated with these treatments, so you can make the best decision possible.

If you have a metal allergy, it is important to be tested prior to dental implant placement. A simple skin test can help to determine the safety of the dental material used for dental implants and tooth replacement.

[box type=”note”]For more information about how to replace discolored, broken infected or missing teeth in the Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis patient, feel free to drop us a note about the 3 Minute Implant™.

Wishing you a healthy smile!

Dr. Joe Kravitz, DDS, MS
Dentist, Prosthodontist, Author, Researcher
Rockville, MD, Virginia, Washington, DC