Did you know that dental implants have been around since ancient times? Nowadays, a typical dental implant consists of a titanium post that’s anchored to your jawbone, an abutment piece, and the visible prosthetic tooth. Obviously, ancient cultures didn’t use titanium! So what did they use?
If you’re curious, keep reading. What follows is an abridged timeline of the development of modern dental implants.
Bamboo, Seashells, and Precious Gems?
While the Chinese used carved bamboo pegs as their implant posts of choice, the Mayans tried using seashells. These might have worked for a mermaid or a panda but proved to be poor materials for a human mouth. The Egyptians would continue this trend towards the whimsical much later by trying to anchor rare gemstones to a patient’s jaw. It might have been flashy for a brief period, but there’s a reason (besides the financial!) that dentists don’t make jade or ruby implants today.
Many, Many Metal and Ceramic Combinations
The same Egyptians that were making dental implants out of precious gems actually ushered in a more widespread use of metallic alloys. Early-to-mid-century Europeans, for example, blended gold or silver to craft implant posts, sometimes mixing in porcelain. Certainly these are all fine and durable materials on their own, but human jawbones continued to reject dental implants.
Emerging Succes with Vitallium
Shortly before titanium came onto the medical scene, Drs. Alvin and Moses Strock finally created the first successful dental implant in 1930. The material? Vitallium, a cobalt alloy with biocompatible properties that is strong, durable, and relatively light weight. The Strocks definitely marked the beginning of modern dental implants, but further improvement was just around the corner.
Final Stop: Titanium
Just a few years after vitallium dental implants, Dr. Per-Ingvar Branemark started researching the effects of titanium when placed into a rabbit’s femur. He discovered that this high-quality metal actually fused with the bone! The femur was so entangled with the titanium, in fact, that he couldn’t separate the two.
The implications for the medical field were huge, and Dr. Branemark didn’t waste time. Titanium dental implants proved to be far superior to alternatives, and nearly 20 years after Dr. Branemark successfully placed the first titanium implant, scientists approved the metal for widespread use in dentistry in 1982.
Why Didn’t Previous Dental Implants Work?
The reason Dr. Branemark’s design worked where previous dental implants didn’t has to do with biocompatibility and osseointegration. The earliest attempts involved materials or metals that simply don’t mix well with bone. Vitallium is biocompatible, which helped dental implants last a bit longer.
However, it wasn’t until Dr. Branemark’s experiment with the rabbit femur that scientists realized materials similar enough to bone will become integrated as the bone grows around it. Titanium just so happens to have an ideal structure for osseointegration!
Key Takeaway: Modern Dental Implants Are Reliable
Osseointegration plays a huge role in dental implants’ 95% success rate today. Integrating so completely with the jawbone is how titanium implants stay in place reliably and retain more of a patient’s bite power. If you’re looking for a good replacement option for missing teeth, give dental implants a chance and consult with your dentist!
About the Practice
Drs. Tarangini Suggala and Ali Albeer are known for their gentle approach to dentistry. Dr. Suggala has received advanced training in restorative and surgical dentistry, while Dr. Albeer has received a Master’s degree in prosthodontics (dental prosthetics). Between the two of them, you can rest easy knowing your dentists have your comfort and the quality of your dental implants in mind. To contact their office for a consultation, call 972-446-1111.