In 1952, Per-Ingvar Branemark accidentally discovered that bone integrates with titanium while conducting a completely different experiment that had to do with blood flow characteristics. During the experiment, the scientist had to implant titanium into the bones of rabbits to be able to conduct his experiment. At the end of his project, he went to remove these implants that he had placed but he couldn’t remove them very easily. He discovered that the bone and the titanium had integrated together, and he coined the term “osseointegration” to explain the phenomenon. From this discovery, the world of hip replacements, knee replacements and our favorite dental implants opened.
Since the discovery of osseointegration, there have been multiple advances that have improved the success rate of single dental implants and implant supported dentures. One of the advances is the finish of the titanium on the dental implant. Initial dental implant procedures utilized titanium screws with a very smooth surface. Dentists now use implants with a treated surface that leaves a porous finish and inherently increases the surface area available for integration.
Dental implants have come a long way and they are becoming less expensive. If you are considering dental implants, be sure to discuss your options with Dr. Stewart and Dr. Hull at Stewart & Hull for the best possible results when it comes to dentures or missing teeth.