Will Your Dental Implants Set Off the Metal Detectors at the Airport?

Replacing your missing teeth with dental implants can change your life for the better in multiple ways, such as allowing you to eat all of your favorite foods again. But the first time you schedule a flight after receiving your implant posts, you may be worried that your new smile will set off the metal detectors. To give you some peace of mind while planning your trip, here’s what you need to know about going through airport security with dental implants.

Exactly How Do Metal Detectors Work?

Metal detectors work by letting out a series of pulses that generate an electromagnetic field. The pulses create an echo that the detector can pick up. If a metal object passes through the detector, a new electromagnetic field is created. This results in a longer echo that lets the detector know that metal is present.

Dental Implants and Metal Detectors

The truth is that dental implants typically don’t set off metal detectors. There are three major reasons for this:

• Most dental implants are made out of titanium. The magnetic field created by titanium can vary in strength depending on the alloy. In many cases, the field created by your implants may simply not be strong enough for the metal detector to pick up on.
• When dental implants are inserted into the jaw, they fuse with the bone around them via osseointegration. This may insulate your implant posts from metal detectors.
• Dental implants are very small. Combined with the factors noted above, this can potentially make them more difficult for a metal detector to find.

What If Your Dental Implants Do Set Off the Metal Detector?

There is a small chance that your implant posts will cause the metal detector to go off, but this shouldn’t be anything to worry about. Dental implants aren’t anything that the airport security staff hasn’t seen before. If you simply let them know about your implant posts, chances are you’ll be on your way again before long.

Note that when it comes to international travel, some airports use more advanced scanning systems. As such, there’s a slightly higher chance of your dental implants setting off the metal detectors when you travel overseas. Again, if that happens, all you need to do is tell the security staff about your implant posts.

In short, your dental implants most likely won’t set off the airport metal detector, and even if they do, the situation will typically be easy to resolve. As such, there’s no need to worry about scheduling your next flight after having your smile rebuilt with sturdy, reliable implant posts.

About the Practice

At Wayland Dental, our dentists offer our patients completely personalized care that utilizes the latest technology. We’ve been able to help individuals of all ages enjoy brighter, healthier smiles thanks to our comprehensive menu of services. If you’ve lost a tooth, we can replace it with a high-quality dental implant. To schedule your initial dental implant consultation with our team, visit our website or call (508) 651-0500.