A Brief History of Dental Implants

Humans have been on the hunt for dental replacements ever since we first started losing our teeth. Since the introduction of agriculture—thanks to the increased grain from agriculture, increased carbohydrates, and increased bacteria that like to process those carbs—we’ve been dealing with cavities and tooth loss. And with colorful innovations from antibacterial chewing weeds to modern dental implants, we’ve been experimenting with solutions for about just as long.

The most common modern solution is dental implants—permanent teeth replacements, which offer a superior durability to bridges, dentures, and other prostheses. Dental implant-supported dentures are less likely to accidentally fall out of the wearer’s mouth. Additionally, dental implants can help prevent jawbone recession. Jawbone deteriorates over time without teeth, changing facial features, shifting remaining teeth, and can lead to other oral health complications. Placing implants can help address this.

But modern dental implants are the result of a long and colorful evolution dating back to the earliest days of dentistry. Before titanium screws and precision jaw mapping, earlier dentists made do with whatever nature provided.

Ancient Dental Implants

Dental implants have been around in some form or other for millennia. As far back as 4,000 years ago, Chinese dentists carved bamboo pegs to fill gaps created by missing teeth. The pegs were meticulously carved to perfectly fit the bone. Evidence of similar techniques have been found by historians in Ancient Egypt, where royal embalmers hammered copper pegs into pharaohs’ jaws some 3,000 years ago, and in 2,300-year-old Celtic graves in France (this time with iron pegs).

Because these materials are not biocompatible with human gum and bone, historians believe ancient technicians installed these implants post-mortem, as part of funeral arrangements. While these recurring ritual installations show humans have had their teeth on their minds from the earliest days of civilization, it took some time for these dental implant operations to make the jump to living humans.

Experts believe some of the first dental implants for a functional, rather than purely ceremonial, purpose were invented by the Maya. In 1931 archeologists in Honduras discovered the remains of a Maya woman with three missing teeth replaced by bits of shell. Careful examination showed that the woman’s jawbone grew around the shell fragments, which meant the shell implants happened while she was alive. This also proved a rudimentary understanding of osseointegration—surgical integration of bone and artificial material, which is key to modern dental and joint surgery.

A Titanic Shift in Dental Implant Technology

While these first advancements in dental technology were surely revolutionary, the science then plateaued for centuries. Humans experimented with metals, cadaver teeth, and porcelain, but these all lacked the right bonding properties or the longevity to be meaningful.

Then along came the Greenfield implant system in 1913. Featuring an iridium-platinum alloy implant capped with a gold crown, Greenfield implants could last for several years. Since the alloy offered a degree of biocompatibility unseen in earlier materials, bone would grow around the implant.

In 1952 another landmark advancement occurred. Swedish orthopedic surgeon Dr. Per-Ingvar Brånemark discovered that the titanium cylinder implants he inserted in patients seemed to fuse with surrounding bone. This discovery confirmed an earlier study by researchers R.F. Bothe, K.E. Beaton, and H.A. Davenport on the osseointegration properties of titanium. These earlier researchers found that titanium encouraged bone growth, like the shell fragments did for our earlier Maya woman. Eventually, armed with this new knowledge, Brånemark performed the first titanium dental implant in 1965.

However, it was not until 1981—after 30 years of meticulous research—Brånemark finally published his findings. This laid the foundation for the modern titanium-based screw-type dental implant. Approximately seven million Brånemark implants have made their way into patients since that first attempt in 1965.

Dental Implants Today and Tomorrow

While today’s dental implants still rely on Brånemark’s basic principles, technological advances have made the process faster and more accurate, pushing the boundaries of the science further. For example, the use of plastic drill guides to install implants is slowly being retired. Modern computer and robotics technology can help position the drill better while gauging sensory reactions. From x-rays to automatic drill positioning, modern technology is helping to make dental implant procedures quicker, safer, and maybe even less painful.

Advances in dental implant technology are helping push the boundaries further. For example, the use of plastic drill guides when installing dental implants is slowly being retired. Modern computer and robotics technology can help position the drill better while gauging sensory reactions.

Other advances in dental implant technology include:

Roughened Titanium Posts

Instead of traditional smooth titanium posts, newer versions feature a rougher appearance to make the post feel more natural, akin to the texture of bones. With a more natural feel, bones fuse better, making the implant more stable. The posts’ rougher texture also reduces chances of the body rejecting the implant.

3D Printing Technology

The 3D printing industry has exploded in the last few years. So it’s no surprise that dental offices have taken advantage of the boom by printing custom dental surgery components. 3D printers can now produce crowns and other prosthetics to follow patients’ custom specifications. What's more, 3D printing performed at local dental offices means implant processes can finish in a single session instead of multiple visits.

Improved Treatment Planning

Digital x-rays, MRIs, and CAT scans can plumb the human body deeper than any camera. This allows dentists to map a person’s entire mouth area in fine detail, allowing for more accurate planning and placement of implant holes.

Smaller Dental Implants

Dental implant posts used to come in a single thickness: approximately 5 millimeters. But modern technology now allows longtime restorative dentistry manufacturers such as Sterngold to offer thinner and smaller posts, even under 3 mm! This allows patients with smaller jaws or receding gums to still qualify for treatment. Apart from additional sizes or thicknesses, digital manufacturing technology also helps with the creation of custom implants.

Dental Implant Development at Sterngold

In 1993, Sterngold Dental expanded into the dental implant market. The first Sterngold dental implant was the Stern EX, followed by the Stern IC. In the early aughts, Sterngold introduced the 2.2 ERA implant in 2002 and the 3.25 ERA implant in 2003. Fast forward to 2015, when TRU® conical hex and PUR® internal hex connection implants, were developed, furthering the goal of providing a complete restorative solution to dental practices. This was followed a year later by the manufacture of small diameter implants, MOR® mini implants, designed for minimally invasive, more affordable option for qualified dental implant patients.

Dental Implants Have Come a Long Way

Dental implants have come a long way from our famous Maya woman who installed some shells as replacement teeth. With modern technology bolstering an already-reliable dental implant system, only better, faster, safer, and less painful procedures await.

When getting advice on dental implants, make sure your dentist carries Sterngold dental implants a value option. Whether it’s a simple, standard procedure or a complex custom case, Sterngold makes dental implants both available and affordable, while keeping at the forefront of dental implant technology.

If you are a candidate for dental implants, ask your dentist if they carry Sterngold implants.