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ePaper created 2017-11-09, 09:28:26 | version 1.38.0
| interview Zirconium dioxide implants— a holistic approach Prof. Prof. h.c. Dr Werner Becker, Dr Witalij Kolbe and DT Artur Wolf, for dentists and patients alike, ceramic implants pose an alternative to titanium im- plants. You are advocates of a holistic approach in dentistry. Where do you stand on this topic? Dr Kolbe: You may be amazed that I, as a previous implant opponent, have become an advocate of a cer- tain realm of implantology. In my opinion, metal implants, especially those made of titanium, are obsolete due to their negative effect on the regulatory system. My col- league Prof. Werner Becker and I suggest that titanium implants can only be retained in the bone for a certain amount of time by an interactive, chronic “inflammatory process”. From a medical point of view, this period can be quite long. Prof. Becker: It is important to me that there is knowl- edge available on titanium as material used in implantol- ogy. Because, in this context, we are talking of material made of titanium alloys and not pure titanium. For pro- cessing requirements, there is no other option possible. The processing of pure titanium as a material wouldn’t be easily accepted, as its metallic “toxicity” is undisputed among toxicologists, but it is ignored by dentistry. But this is unimportant for dental implants, as all of them are alloys with over 90 per cent titanium content. The rest is made of metal admixtures which facilitate later process ability. One of the most serious admixtures is aluminium, the toxicity of which is generally known in the medical field and which has been listed as one of the problem ma- terials in the occurrence of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. This is demonstrated by research in this field. The medical mechanism of action is the following: the titanium implant reacts with the protein of the bone where it is screwed or wedged. This creates protein ti- tanium compounds known under the chemical denom- ination metal chelates. These generate an inflammatory process in the bone (peri-implantitis). Initially, this sta- bilises the implant in the bone, but from now on also is a constant chronic focus which requires extensive de- fence activities from the human immune system. If this process remains in its chronic phase through the body’s “defence compensation”, this kind of implant can re- main in situ for a long time, but, as mentioned previously, under considerable strain on the body’s general regu- lation system. What is the consequence emerging from these in- flammatory processes? Prof. Becker: If this process becomes acute, it is usu- ally bacterially superimposed and the implant “festers”. The bone substance remains loaded in the peri-implant area, and continues to be a focus. In this case, the bone previously enclosing the implant must be milled out until healthy, in order to exclude any effects of this focus on the body. The circumstance just described occurred for the implant lost in the lower jaw. Titanium and its com- pounds are mainly neurotoxins. They destroy the pro- tective membranes surrounding the nerve, the so-called myelin sheaths. An initial effect is mainly muscle pain, since the nerves supplying these areas are damaged, as well as damage to hard tissues of the body, such as hair, nails and bones. To this date, dental prosthetics are mainly based on metallic materials. Examples include titanium supra- structures, gold crowns or amalgam fillings. How do you assess this situation from a biological as well as medical point of view? Prof. Becker: It is important to note that in any case an electroplating of metal elements takes place in the oral cavity. These micro currents are responsible for de- stroying the nervous system also, as they suppress the transmission of stimuli through the synapses e.g. to the muscle tissue, and regulation therefore becomes impos- sible. Effects could be damage to the muscles, sensation changes, paralyses, atony and therefore muscle loss. These electric micro disruptions could also mix up the otherwise balanced microbe system in the gastrointesti- nal tract, and disorders e.g. of the bowel such as Crohn’s disease or leaky gut syndrome can arise. The range of disease possibilities up to cardiovascular diseases and other internal problems must then almost be expected. However, each individual responds differently to these disturbances. That makes the diagnostic investigations particularly challenging. What does this mean for the field of implantology? Prof. Becker: What was said about metal implants also equally applies to ceramic or zircon implants. Everything depends on the source materials and their chemistry, and on the toxicological factors. As far as I am aware, 46 implants 1 2017