History of Implants

Ancient history of dental implants dates back to Egyptian times when sea shells were literally hammered into the jaw to replace missing teeth. Believe it or not, these shells actually worked. Slots were made into the bone and the shells were pounded in like little wedges. Without Novocain!

By modern standards, the history of implants, as they are known today, goes back some 35 to 40 years. There were two major and diverse schools of thought. In America, blade-shaped implants were placed into the bone, then posts were attached to the blade with bridgework affixed on the posts later.

Meanwhile, in Sweden, Dr. I. P. Branemark was doing research, placing a cylinder into the bone, leaving it submerged below the gum for three to six months while the healing matured and the bone attached to the implant. The dental prosthetic (tooth or teeth) was then affixed to the implanted cylinder(s).

Around 1980, Branemark brought his research to the U.S. which was an overwhelming improvement to American methods. In turn, American technology quickly adopted these principles.

At this time, well over a half million dental implants are being surgically placed annually. And yet, as rapidly as this field of dentistry is growing, the majority of potential dental implant patients is unaware that this treatment exists.

The American Dental Association does not recognize implantology as a specialty. This  means that doctors of dentistry need no specific requirements or certifications to perform implant surgery. Because of this, patients considering dental implant treatment should select their doctor based upon the level of his or her experience and training. Most implants are currently being placed by general dentists, oral surgeons and periodontists. These doctors have integrated implant treatment into their other areas of specialty. It is this practice’s opinion, that implant dentistry has enough technicalities to require a doctor’s full-time concentration.