Dental
Dental implants can improve your life in a variety of ways, from boosting your confidence to letting you enjoy a wide range of foods. However, if you tend to travel a lot, you may be worried about your new smile setting off an alarm the next time you try to get through airport security. But is this something you really need to be concerned about? Here’s what you should know when it comes to dental implants and metal detectors.
How Do Metal Detectors Do Their Job?
Metal detectors use a series of pulses to create a magnetic field. Under normal circumstances, the pulses create return echoes, letting the detector know that everything is fine. But when a metal object is put through the detector, a new magnetic field forms around it. This results in a larger and longer echo, indicating to the machine that metal has been found.
Do Metal Detectors React to Dental Implants?
Even though dental implants are typically made out of titanium, they actually don’t set off metal detectors most of the time. It’s not entirely clear why this is the case, but there are a few theories:
- Titanium tends to create a weaker magnetic field than other metals. As such, the field created by dental implants may simply not be strong enough for metal detectors to pick up on them.
- Dental implants are very small. This is notable because small objects – such as screws – can sometimes get through a metal detector without setting it off.
- Because dental implants fuse with the jawbone, they may be insulated from metal detectors.
Despite the factors listed above, it is still possible for metal detectors to occasionally detect dental implants. To stay on the safe side, you should plan on getting to the airport as early as possible; that way, if your implant posts happen to set off the metal detector, you’ll have plenty of time to spare. Remember, dental implants are common and likely aren’t anything that the security staff haven’t seen before; they’ll understand once you let them know about your circumstances.
In short, your dental implants most likely won’t cause any problems when you go through airport security, and if they do, it will be easy enough to explain the situation. As such, there’s no reason to be nervous about heading off on your next big trip with your newly revitalized smile!
About the Author
Dr. Wesley Parks has more than 20 years of dental experience. He studied dentistry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and he has completed hundreds of continuing education hours, particularly focusing on dental implant restoration and other specialty topics. His Lincoln practice, Parks Family Dental, works with local oral surgeons to help patients rebuild their smiles with sturdy implant posts. If you’re ready to schedule a dental implant consultation with Dr. Parks, visit his website or call (402) 484-6042.