Scientists discovered fragments of stones and seashells in the jawbones of skeletons found dating back to 600 A.D during the era of ancient Mayans. The foreign materials in the jawbone of the Mayans resulted in the early instances of implants that proved to be fused to the bone. Since then, dental implants have been developed from advanced technology with the most significant advancement occurring in the 1950s, the discovery of titanium and osseointegration.
For the story behind the ACCIDENTAL discovery of “osseointegration” read here.
Titanium became an important property that directly forms a physical bond with living bone tissues. Today it serves as the biological basis for the incredible success rates modern-day dental implants. Titanium is highly biocompatible therefore the majority of dental implants are designed to be surgically inserted into the jawbone in order to support multiple teeth. In addition, the biological bonding process of osseointegration which could take up to six months with smooth implants has been shorted to about six weeks with today’s roughened implants.
As of today, more recent focus has been on trying to reduce or eliminate the time period between dental implant insertion and the replacement of the lost tooth or teeth. Most patients can now replace an entire set of teeth with dental implants. If you would like more information or have any questions concerning dental implants and financing options, please contact us at (213) 250-7554 or visit David S. Kao DDS.
