Did you know that creating replacement teeth for a lost tooth goes all the way back to ancient Mayan civilization? Archaeologists who have excavated sites from as far back as 600 A.D. have found human skulls with actual dental implants in them.
It appears early “dentists” were crafting these implants from jade stone and seashell fragments. Their techniques got so sophisticated that some of these skulls show the implant fused to the jawbone!
Other Civilizations Caught On Too!
In the centuries that followed, various other civilizations began experimenting with dental implant procedures. In China, early dentists were using bamboo pegs for missing tooth support. The Egyptians were the first to attempt using precious metals to cast dental implants – they were known to have carved ivory for the same purpose.
Dental Implants in the Modern Age
Today we use titanium pegs in the construction of modern implants. The jawbone forms around this implant peg in a natural process known as osseointegration. The titanium bases’ job is to support an artificial tooth or teeth, depending on the precise situation. Originally a “one-size-fits-all” design was the standard, however today’s implants are designed to precisely match the surrounding teeth in your mouth.
Interested in learning more? Make an appointment and let us talk to you about your specific situation. Or read a few of our testimonials from previous patients and start thinking about what life with a healthy mouth could be like for you!
