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Welcome to Family Implant & Reconstructive Dentistry, where we can’t wait to be your trusted dental services provider. Among our many dental services, we offer a comprehensive range of procedures to fit all your general and cosmetic dentistry needs. We want our patients to understand all the details about the procedures we offer at our practice. This blog is dedicated to helping you understand important information about dental implants and why they could be a superior tooth replacement solution for you.
Early Attempts At Dental Implants
According to historical records, the ancient Chinese were using carved bamboo pegs to replace lost teeth. In a similar manner, the Egyptians used precious metals, human teeth, ivory, and other materials to replace missing teeth.
However, despite these early examples of ancient dentistry, scientists narrowed in on the body of a young woman found at a Honduras site dating back to 600 AD. What made this find especially interesting was the fact that three of her missing incisors were replaced by pieces of shell, shaped to resemble teeth. At first they thought that perhaps the teeth were placed after death. But they soon discovered calcification which indicated that the teeth had also been functional while the woman was alive.
Modern Day Dental Implant Research
Regardless of thousands of years of experimentation with dental implants, doctors did not begin developing the modern day implant until the 1950’s. At that time, a Swedish doctor began researching what happened when chambers of titanium were embedded into the ears of rabbits. When attempting to retrieve the titanium chambers he found that he was unable to recover them. As it turned out, the bone had grown into such close proximity with the titanium that it effectively adhered to the metal. This process was called osseointegration.
What Is Osseointegration?
As a result of the research with rabbits, scientists discovered that titanium could fuse very firmly and strongly to bone. This process was called osseointegration and it is the biological basis of modern day implant success. Essentially, this process allows for small titanium roots to provide an extremely strong foundation for natural-looking replacement teeth.
Who Were Dental Implants Created For?
Dental implants were first developed for people that had lost most or all of their teeth. These patients seemed to have difficulty stabilizing or tolerating dentures because they had lost so much of their jawbone. Implants soon became the standard of care in helping these patients recover bite function and a fuller facial appearance.
How Will My Dental Implants Be Placed?
The dental implants placement process begins with a few short visits with Dr. Grubb. For each tooth that needs to be replaced, a small titanium root piece will be attached to your jawbone. After these pieces heal, a middle piece called an abutment will be connected to the fixture. And finally, after these two pieces have sufficiently healed, your artificial tooth will be placed last.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to call our office to find out more about how dental implants can help you.
What Are The Benefits Of Getting Dental Implants?
Besides their natural-looking appearance, dental implants have many amazing benefits. Some of these benefits include:
- Better oral health
- Reduced deterioration of jawbone
- Fuller facial appearance and decreased wrinkles around the mouth
- Increased self-confidence
- Better overall health
- Increased tooth function
If you would like more details about how dental implants can help you, give us a call. We would love to speak to you about how our services and products can help you.
Contact Dr. Grubb For Superior Dental Implants Today
If you have been suffering from missing or damaged teeth, Dr. Grubb wants to let you know that you don’t have to wait another day to regain the beautiful and confident smile you have always dreamed of. The skilled and friendly staff at Family Implant & Reconstructive Dentistry can’t wait to help you fix your grin with natural-looking dental implants. Our informative website and helpful staff can provide you with all the information you need to see if dental implants could be the best tooth replacement option for you. Call our Havre de Grace, MD office today to schedule your dental implants consultation and get back on the path to a healthy and functional smile!
