A full smile of teeth is important not only for cosmetics but also for proper eating, missing teeth should always be replaced if there is the option to do so.
Implants are commonly used to replace teeth that have been extracted for numerous reasons, but where did implants originate from? How have they changed over the last several hundred years? In this article, we’ll cover the history of dental implants and how they have evolved.
Early Versions of Dental Implants
In Ancient China, around 2000 BC the earliest versions of implants took the form of bamboo pegs that were used to replace teeth.
Metal was first introduced in replacing teeth in 1000 BC in Egypt, a copper peg was discovered hammered into the upper jawbone of a pharaoh’s remains. Other remains of teeth made of metal were also discovered in France, although it is uncertain whether or not these teeth were introduced before death is uncertain.
Development of Dental Implants
Early crowns with platinum disks were introduced in the 1800s, but many of them were rejected by the patient’s bodies. These early processes were missing osseointegration where the replacement tooth and the bone fuse together. Many different materials were tried from gold to silver and porcelain but they were all unsuccessful.
In the mid-1950s, an orthopedic surgeon’s research led to the discovery of the importance of fusion for successful implantation using titanium alloys. By implanting a small piece of titanium into rabbit bone, he found that the titanium fused with the bone in a process known as osseointegration.
This process is required for the bone and the implant to be stabilized and prevent the body from rejecting the implant. This orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Per-Ingvar Brånemark, is to thank for the modern-day dental implant.
Advancing Dental Implant Technology
The first successful dental implant using titanium was placed in 1965. The use of titanium was key in helping with the process of osseointegration. The screw is placed into the jaw for a period of time for healing then the tooth is placed onto the screw.
Today dental implants have a 97% success rate, for implants made with cutting technology trust Vertrue Dental Lab for your implant needs. With proper treatment, your implants can last a lifetime.