Where Did Dental Implants Come From?
May 4, 2016
When you walk into a periodontists office for dental implants in Racine, WI, chances are your procedure will have a relatively quick recovery period. These days many procedures can be done within a few weeks or even on the same day. However, generations past haven’t had the same luxury. How did modern dental implants come to be?
Gold Wire and Oxen Bones
Some of the oldest evidence of dental implants can be linked to the ancient Egyptian empire circa 2,500 BCE. Egyptian periodontists used gold wire ligatures to stabilize wobbly teeth. Two thousand years later, Phoenician dental practitioners followed suit, using gold wires as splints for compromised teeth.
What were the first implants made from? The Etruscans used oxen bones to fill open spaces around 500 BCE. Across the globe, the Mayans had a similar idea circa 600 CE. Instead of oxen bones, the ancient civilization used shells to replace missing teeth.
Root Replacements: Screws and Gold Tubes
The first root replacements were golden cylinders and tubes. J. Maggiolo used a gold implant tube in 1809 and J. Greenfield used a similar procedure in 1913. The Vitallium implant was invented in the 1930s and was one of the first screw-like implants. The 1900s saw a range of screw-like implants invented and patented by various dental professionals. However, the true show stopper was the All-on-4 treatment invented in 1998. The procedure reduced the number of necessary implants and showed an incredibly high success rate among most patients. Additionally, the recovery period was far less intense for patients, leading to a much better experience for all involved.
Learn What Modern Implant Option Is Best for You
Every patient is different, which is why Dr. Robert Becker ensures every patient treatment plan suits the individual’s needs. For more information or to make an appointment, give us a call at 262.510.0414.