Ever wondered how people treated missing teeth before the advent of dental implants? They didn’t have many options when it came to tooth restoration services and often suffered from the resulting jaw bone loss, which affected the way their aesthetics looked.
Dental implants are considered to be an advanced solution for tooth restoration. The earliest types of dental implants came from China. They were shaped out of bamboo pegs and were used to fill missing teeth.
An Egyptian King’s body, who is said to have lived during 1000 BC, was recovered. His was the first recorded instance of a replacement tooth fashioned out of metal. The king had an upper jawbone made out of a copper peg that was hammered right on.
Archeologists also found a false tooth made of iron in a French Celtic grave, said to have originated around 300 BC. Experts are of the opinion that the tooth was put into place after the person’s death because the lack of anesthetic meant that it would have been painful to install it while he was still conscious.
It was fairly common for people in the past to get teeth replacements, either from humans or animals. An implant from another human being is known as a homoplastic implant, meanwhile, an implant from an animal is known as a heteroplastic implant. There is a very high risk of implant rejection and infection for dental implants that are sourced from humans or animals.
Archeologists have also found various materials used to prepare dental implants, from everyday materials such as seashells to rare gems such as jade.
It wasn’t until several centuries later that improvements in technology would allow for the creation of dental implants.
An orthopedic surgeon accidentally found a material that had all of the necessary properties for successful fusion with the jaw: titanium.
This material was fused with a rabbit’s femur bone during a study on bone healing. The surgeon hypothesized that the fusion could be used in other fields such as dental implants. The first titanium dental implants were placed in a human patient by Per-Ingvar Branemark, an orthopedic surgeon in 1965.
This was a success and the world rallied behind the new technique. This led to the development of titanium alloy screws to improve teeth restoration. The screw is installed to the jaw where the tooth used to be. The area is then allowed to heal before a crown can be placed over the screw.
Wrapping Up
Today, dental implants are believed to be the most effective solution for missing teeth with a success rate of over 97% in top dental clinics like Alexandra Garcia, DDS, MS, Dr. Garcia and Dr. Alexandra Garcia. It’s the best way to provide support to the surrounding teeth and stimulate the natural growth of bone.
If you are interested in learning more about dental implants or finding out if you are a candidate for dental implants as a tooth restoration option, check out our dental implants FAQ or give our office a call at (346) 250-2930 to schedule an appointment.
History of Dental Implants - Houston | Alexandra Garcia, DDS, MS Dental implants first appeared in China and were made from bamboo pegs to fill missing teeth. Call Alexandra Garcia, DDS, MS to learn more about dental implants. Alexandra Garcia, DDS, MS, 777 Post Oak Blvd, Suite 625, Houston, TX 77056 \ (346) 250-2930 \ dralexandragarcia.com \ 10/6/2024 \ Page Keywords: dental implants Houston TX \
