Sparta dental implants: zirconia or titanium
An ICOI Diplomate plans titanium and zirconia dental implants around your whole health and places them at our Sparta office.
Written by the Dr. Ewa Zoltek DMD team. Medically reviewed by Dr. Ewa Zoltek, DMD, DICOI. Last reviewed: October 2026.
If you are exploring zirconia implants, you may be balancing the appeal of a metal-free ceramic against titanium’s long track record. You likely want an option that supports your teeth while protecting your overall health.
At Dr. Ewa Zoltek DMD, we plan Sparta dental implants around your whole body: your jaw health, how you heal, and which material suits you. One team handles every step, from the first scan to the final crown.
Zirconia or titanium? A comparison
A dental implant is a small post set into the jaw that bone grows around, and at our office, we place that post in either titanium or zirconia, a white ceramic. Neither material is right for every mouth. We’ll tell you which one we’d pick for your tooth and your health, and why.
Titanium dental implants
- Track record: Titanium has the longest history of any implant material, and bone integrates with it reliably.
- Design flexibility: Most titanium implants are two pieces, a post and a separate abutment, which helps when an implant has to sit at an angle or carry a full arch.
- Best fit: Back teeth, full-arch cases, and sites where the angle matters more than the color.
Zirconia (ceramic) implants
- Metal-free: Zirconia is a ceramic, so there’s no metal in the jaw. If you’d rather keep metal out of your body, that may settle it.
- Looks: With thin or receding gums, a gray titanium margin can show at the gumline. Zirconia stays tooth-colored.
- Design: Many zirconia implants are one piece, so the angle has to be right at placement. Guided planning takes care of that.
- Best fit: Front teeth, thin gums, and people who prefer no metal in their body.
Both materials need healthy bone to hold the post and healthy gum to seal around it. We check both before we recommend either option.
Dr. Zoltek plans and places every implant herself
The person who plans your implant is the one who places it and fits the final crown. There’s no handoff between offices: Dr. Zoltek makes every call about depth, angle, and material.
Planning starts with a 3D CBCT scan, which shows bone volume, nerve position, and hidden infection. We add a digital intraoral scan (no goopy impressions) and photos, then position the implant on screen. On the day, a guide built from that plan keeps it there.
An implant heals only as well as the body around it
Bone has to grow around the post for an implant to last, so we look past the tooth to what speeds or slows that healing, and we address it before surgery.
Hidden infection
the 3D scan can show infection in the jaw that a flat x-ray misses, and we clear it before a post goes in.
Gum health
OralDNA saliva testing shows which bacteria are present, so active gum disease is treated first.
Nutrition
guidance on the foods and nutrients that support bone and tissue repair, before and after surgery.
Meet Dr. Zoltek
Youngest in the US to earn ICOI Diplomate status
Dr. Ewa Zoltek is the youngest doctor in the United States to achieve Diplomate status through the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI).
She graduated at the top of her class at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and completed a General Practice Residency at Overlook Hospital in Summit. After more than 18 years in practice, she still places every implant in the office herself.
Dr. Zoltek is a member of the IAOMT and the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health, and she plans each implant as part of your overall health, not only as a replacement tooth.
What your first implant visit looks like
Your first visit is a full workup, and it includes:
Intake and health history
medications, past surgeries, and conditions that affect healing.
Imaging
digital x-rays, a 3D CBCT scan, an intraoral scan, and clinical photos.
A sit-down with the doctor
she reviews the scans with you and explains your options for material and timing.
A financial coordinator
walks you through payment options and the cost of your plan.
For the surgery itself, oral sedation is available, and if you’d prefer deeper sedation, we can coordinate a board-certified anesthesiologist.
How we place implants and help them heal
Immediate placement, when the bone and gum allow
When a tooth has to come out, we’d rather not leave the socket empty for months. If the bone and gum allow, we extract the tooth, graft the site, and place the implant in one visit.
Healing support from your own blood
We draw a small amount of your blood and spin it into PRP and PRF, concentrated platelets and growth factors for the surgical site. Mixed with graft material, it forms “sticky bone” that stays put. Ozone helps keep the site clean during surgery, and stem-cell-supported healing is available when appropriate.
Grafting, for when there isn’t enough bone
Thin or short bone doesn’t rule out an implant. Options include guided bone and tissue regeneration, a sinus lift for upper back teeth, and socket preservation right after an extraction.
Full-arch and implant-supported dentures
If you’re missing most or all of your teeth, a set of implants can hold a full arch or anchor a denture so it doesn’t slide. We plan these cases as a whole, matching material and implant count to your bone.
Costs & coverage for dental implants in Sparta
The cost depends on the material, the grafting your site needs, and how many implants you’re getting. After your first visit, our financial coordinator reviews the cost of your plan with you before treatment begins.
We’re out-of-network with all dental insurance and file claims as a courtesy. Our in-house membership plan and flexible financing both apply to implant cases. If you’re paying out of pocket, you’ll know the full number before you commit.
Hear from our patients
Zachary
"Over the years that I've been coming here, I now consider them my family. It's not just the dentist. I'm going to see my friends. I'm going to see my family."
Leonard
"She clearly cares about her patients, she is invested in doing the best care for the patients. I recommend her wholeheartedly."
Melanie
"I really love Dr. Z’s approach to dentistry. She really cares about you starting with the mouth, and then your whole body health."
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dental implant cost?
It depends on the material, the grafting your site needs, and how many implants you’re getting. After your first visit, our financial coordinator reviews the cost with you before treatment begins. We’re out-of-network, file claims as a courtesy, and offer a membership plan and financing.
Am I a candidate for dental implants?
Most adults with healthy gums and enough bone are candidates, and bone that’s thin or short can often be built up with grafting. Conditions that slow healing, smoking, and untreated gum disease can affect the outcome, so we review your health history and your 3D scan before recommending Sparta dental implants in titanium or zirconia.
How long until I have the final crown?
It varies. With immediate placement, where the extraction, graft and implant happen in one visit, the implant can be ready for its crown in a few months. When bone has to be built first, add the time for that graft to heal before the implant goes in, and we’ll map out your timeline at the first visit.
Is zirconia as strong as titanium?
Both materials are strong enough for everyday chewing when they’re placed in healthy bone. Titanium has the longer track record and more design flexibility, especially for angled or full-arch cases. Zirconia is a dense ceramic that holds up well in single-tooth sites, and we’ll tell you plainly which one we’d trust in your spot.
Can you pull the tooth and place the implant the same day?
Often, yes. If the bone and gum around the socket are healthy, we can extract the tooth, graft the site, and place the implant in one visit at our Sparta office. If there’s active infection or too little bone, we clear or build the site first, and the CBCT scan tells us which path fits.
When holistic care
made all the difference
Ready to take the next step toward better health?
Ready to take the next step toward better health?
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Sparta, NJ 07871
Our Sparta dentist sees patients from the entire greater Sussex County area!
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