Dental Implants Journey Through History
Like every good piece of dental technology, the humble dental implant has been on a rollercoaster of a journey through history. From its first discovery in an archaeological dig (really!) dental implants are now available in Nottingham. It’s been a rocky road, though, with some questionable forms of tooth replacement…
The first dental implants ever discovered
The first ever recorded dental implants were discovered at a Mayan burial site in Honduras in 1931. These dental implants date back over 1,300 years to the year 600AD! A female jawbone was found at the burial site that contained three tooth-shaped pieces of shell and stone embedded in the tooth sockets. It was first assumed that the stones were placed after death for cosmetic or burial reasons, but further examinations in 1970 found they’d been placed during life. This is because the jawbone had compacted around the pieces of shell and stone, becoming the first indication that the artificial teeth were accepted by the bone and body.
Dental implants through history
Different civilisations and people through history also dabbled in tooth replacement, with varying degrees of success. The Ancient Chinese used shards of bamboo to restore the ability to chew and bite, possibly creating functional implants but not the best looked or best feeling tooth replacement system. The Ancient Egyptians, on the other hand, restored beauty to the mouth by replacing missing teeth with gems, stones, and even other human teeth secured with golden wires. However, this was done for burial purposes as they believed the body must be whole to pass into the afterlife.
The titanium roots
The titanium root of dental implants is by far the most impressive discovery yet, as this is still the preferred and extremely reliable of performing this treatment today. In 1952, Dr. Per-Ingvar Brånemark discovered that titanium bonded with bones and was biocompatible. The breakthrough occurred when he placed a titanium screw in a bone and when he later came to remove it, found the bone had fused with the metal and it would not budge. It was found that titanium actually invites the bone to heal around it, and after much more research the modern dental implants we know and love came to be.
Dental implants in Nottingham
If you’re considering dental implants in Nottingham, contact the professionals at Arnold Dental. We’ll arrange a consultation with you to assess your suitability and provide you a dental implant from reliable materials, not stone and shell! Contact us today on 0115 9200571.
