Dental implants and reactions to titanium

Whenever metals are implanted in the human body there is a possibility that hypersensitivity will develop which can evolve into autoimmune disease. Two interesting papers in the Neuro Endocrinology Letter investigate the evidence. The authors of Hypersensitivity to titanium: Clinical and laboratory evidence conclude: "These data clearly demonstrate that titanium can induce clinically-relevant hypersensitivity in a subgroup of patients chronically exposed via dental or endoprosthetic implants." The study Diagnosis and treatment of metal-induced side-effects documents diagnosis by the lymphocyte transformation test and observes that, "The removal of incompatible dental material (RID) resulted in long-term health improvement in the majority of patients." Yet another paper in the same journal concludes, "The optimized LTT-MELISA® test is a clinically useful and reliable tool for identifying and monitoring metal sensitization in symptomatic metal-exposed individuals." Bear in mind that this applies to all kinds of metal implants, including replacement joints.