Dental implants are the most advanced method of permanently replacing missing teeth and are associated with a rich history. These biocompatible prosthetics help support adjacent teeth, maintain natural bone, restore dental function, and have returned natural beauty to smiles across the globe.
When did We Start Replacing Teeth This Way?
In ancient China, approximately 2000 BC, people used carved bamboo pegs to replace missing teeth. An Egyptian king who lived 3000 years ago was recently found to having a copper peg in his upper jawbone, and a 2300-year-old iron false tooth has been found among natural teeth in a Celtic grave in France.
2000 years ago, it was relatively common for people to use animal teeth to replace their own. It was also a known practice for a wealthy person to purchase natural teeth from their less privileged neighbors. This often resulted in infection and artifacts discovered from the seventh century revealed skulls and jawbones that held dental implants made of materials ranging from shells to gemstones.
The Birth of Modern Dental Implants
In the eighteenth century, researchers interested in an early form of dentistry began to experiment with gold and other metal alloys. In the 1800s, more attempts were made and were again without success. The common issue in these trials was that natural bone rejected these foreign materials. It became understood that a successful dental implant would require the replacement tooth to fuse to the jawbone.
Today’s dental implants are made of titanium because it’s conducive to osseointegration, an aspect discovered by accident in 1952 by orthopedic surgeon Per-Ingvar Brånemark. He realized he was unable to remove a titanium cylinder he had placed in a rabbit femur during a study of bone healing and regeneration. After realizing that the titanium and bone fused together, he continued his research with both animal and human subjects. In 1965, he conducted experiments with titanium implant chambers to study blood flow in bone. Upon attempting to remove the chamber, he discovered that the bone had bonded with the implant and called this process "osseointegration.”
He later went on to try this technique with humans and his first patient lived 40 years with their original implants still intact and functioning properly.
Tooth Replacement Today
Over the past half century, research and development of titanium, and now zirconia, have contributed to the over 97% success rate of dental implant placement across the globe. The current process involves the implanting the post(s) into the jawbone, allowing time for healing and osseointegration, and then topping with a permanent crown, bridge, or denture.
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Dr. Benjamin Williams believes education and optimal oral health go hand-and-hand and is passionate about providing both for his patients. For state-of-the-art dental care in Birmingham, call Woodlawn Dental today.