Many of our patients are surprised to learn that the idea of replacing missing teeth with implants is not a new idea at all, and in fact dental implants have a long and interesting history. One of the first well-documented implants was placed in 1937 by Dr. Alvin Strock at Harvard University. This was an implant very similar in design to what is used today. In the United States we have over 60 years of documented experience with implants, and the first American dental implant organization was formed in 1953.

In the 1960’s, an important discovery was made that would significantly impact the development of dental and orthopedic implants. This phenomenon, called osseointegration, describes the ability of titanium (a metal) to directly bond with human bone. This was significant because prior to the use of titanium there was often development of a soft tissue capsule between metallic implants and the bone. The early work with osseointegrated dental implants was done in Sweden where large scale prospective human trials were initiated.

In the early 1980's, the results of the Swedish studies were published revealing very favorable 15-year results in the lower jaw. This would dramatically increase the acceptance of dental implants in the United States. This data, almost overnight, resulted in dental implants moving from an interesting experiment to mainstream therapy. A National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Conference on dental implants would further increase acceptance and define criteria for success.

With the use of implants finally supported by science, dental schools began to slowly integrate the teaching of implantology. Over the last 20 years we have witnessed the emergence of an entirely new scientific discipline which requires the integration of surgical, prosthetic and biomechanical concepts. Today, implants are recognized as the treatment of choice for tooth replacement in many cases.

Contemporary Implant Design

Most modern dental implants are a two-piece design. The implant body, or "root" portion of the implant is the part which is placed into the bone and which ultimately bonds to the bone. It resembles a screw on the outside, and has an internal threaded cylinder which can accept a number of different attachments.

The “abutment” portion of the implant is the part of the implant which is then connected to the implant body, and ultimately supports the replacement teeth. There are several types of abutments. Some are for single teeth, some are designed to attach to multiple teeth or even for the support of dentures.

The  “prosthesis” refers to the actual teeth that are attached to the implant abutment. This may be a single crown or several teeth. The prosthesis may replace teeth alone, or may also replace bone and soft tissue if these tissues have been lost over time. Single tooth crowns are typically cemented to the abutment. Multiple crowns and larger prostheses are usually attached with screws or snap-in attachments. The determination of the ideal design and attachment system is a complex process which will be determined by your implant surgeon and restorative dentist.