Dental implants have been around for thousands of years. Archaeologists found four-thousand-year-old human remains with tooth replacements in China. They discovered that ancient dentists had made teeth implants out of bamboo and hammered them into the bone. Some Egyptian mummies have implants made out of precious metals, ivory and human teeth. In 600 A.D., the Mayans used seashells to fix their teeth. Perhaps the most surprising fact about all of these old dentistry practices is that some of these now-strange-seeming implant materials had actually fused to the bone.
Cosmetic and restorative dentistry procedures have come a long way since then, but the concept is still the same. In the 1950’s, a Swedish doctor created the first modern dental implant while studying bone regrowth in rabbits. He noticed that titanium placed into a rabbit’s femur could not be removed. Once scientists determined that titanium has special properties allowing it to fuse to the bone, dentists began using it in their implant procedures.
Since then, patients with missing teeth no longer need to rely only on dentures to restore their beautiful smiles. At OnCall Dental Fresno, we’ll develop a cosmetic dentistry treatment plan that works with your budget, insurance and schedule. Our caring staff is ready to answer any questions you may have, so feel free to give us a call at 559-900-2332 today!
