Dental implants have become a hugely popular method of tooth replacement since they were first introduced into the dental industry as a means for implant dentists to reconstruct a patients’ smile with a more permanent solution than had previously been available to them.
Many people thought dental implants to be a relatively new dental technology, but in reality, implants have been around for thousands of years in one form or another.
Seashells were one of the earliest used materials and ancient Egyptians and Mayan civilizations used to shape seashells into tooth-like shapes before hammering them directly into their gums. Since then, other materials, such as gold, platinum and other metallic alloys have been used to replace lost teeth.
Many people thought dental implants to be a relatively new dental technology, but in reality, implants have been around for thousands of years in one form or another.
In many cases, these replacements lasted only a short time and it wasn’t until 1952 that a Swedish doctor, Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark, created the precedent for dental implants when he discovered that titanium could bond with living bone matter, against the beliefs of the medical profession at that time. Under carefully controlled observation, Professor Brånemark proved it was possible with a high degree of success and with little long-term damage to the surrounding soft tissue to integrate titanium with living skeletal bone; a process he called ‘osseointegration’.
The process was a medical breakthrough and osseointegration has been used in replacement surgeries for many parts of the body. Although the idea of dental implants quickly followed the discovery, the first use of dental implants came about in 1965 when Brånemark implanted a human volunteer.
Since that time, the process has undergone rigorous research and improvements, and now perhaps the most popular choice of dental reconstruction surgery, due to the benefits it carries over other treatments such as dentures and fixed bridge treatment. It is thought that more than seven million instances of Brånemark’s discovery exist in patients all around the world and that number will only grow larger as more and more people realize the benefits of dental implants and Brånemark’s discovery which makes implants possible.
For patients considering which form of dental reconstruction treatment is best for them, an implant dentist can help advise on the benefits of dental implants, and also other forms of treatment, such as dentures or fixed-bridge treatment. To learn more in the Woodbury NY area, contact our office today and schedule your consultation.