I had my amalgam fillings and a root canal tooth removed last fall. I had read about the dangers of mercury and root canals, but not much about the dangers of other dental work. My root canal tooth may have been sealed with mercury (I had a tatoo around that tooth). My dentist recommended a titanium implant to replace the root canal tooth as the far lesser of two evils. I am part way through the process. The implant was placed several months ago and the cap was placed last week. Now I am just waiting for the crown to be fixed to the implant. My problem is that the more I read about titanium, the more I am worried about my decision. I think it may have been better to redo the root canal using one of the newer techniques. Too late for that - the tooth is gone. I read a post about zirconium implants, but I don't think they are doing them yet in the states? Are they? Are titanium implants easily removed after they have been in place for several years - or is it difficult once it has fused inside the bone? If I decided to have the implant removed now - is it possible to have a zirconium implant placed down the road - or is their too much bone loss? I would love to hear from anyone who has studied this. I am regretting my decision, but don't know how easy it is to reverse this now or what my other options are. This is my last lower molar - so a bridge is not an option. I didn't mind that missing tooth, but I am on the younger side and don't want to have bone loss and other teeth shifting at my age. I don't want to risk losing other teeth. Is zirconium safe and when is it supposed to become available? Any information would be appreciated. Not knowing what to do is really bothering me.

I say leave the implant alone unless it starts giving you great trouble. If it does, them have it removed. One doesn't have a great need for wisdom teeth. I almost had some of my wisdom teeth removed years ago when they were not emerging properly. There shouldn't be such great worry about teeth shifting after a wisdom tooth is removed.