MELISA testing for titanium allergy

MELISA measures how selected immune cells respond to substances in a laboratory. A result may suggest reactivity to a tested metal, yet it does not automatically prove that an implant, dental device, or everyday exposure is causing symptoms. Titanium sensitivity is different from common immediate allergies that cause hives, wheeze, or anaphylaxis.

The result needs context: the exact device materials, timing of symptoms, skin findings, inflammation, infections, and other possible diagnoses. A negative result also cannot explain every reaction around an implant.

Ask the clinician who ordered the test what question it is intended to answer and which metals will be included. Bring implant or dental material records, a symptom timeline, photographs of rashes, and a list of medicines. Do not remove or replace an implanted device based only on a laboratory result. An allergy or relevant surgical review can help weigh testing alongside examination and safer alternatives.

Seek urgent help for swelling of the lips or tongue, trouble breathing, faintness, or rapidly spreading hives after an exposure. Arrange review for a persistent rash, worsening pain, drainage, fever, or poor wound healing near an implant. These signs may reflect infection, inflammation, or another problem rather than a metal allergy.

What symptoms make titanium sensitivity plausible in my case? How reliable is this test for the specific material involved? What other causes should we check, and what would we do with either result?