History of Dental Implants
Here at J.J. Perkiomaki DMD PC in Portland, OR we understand how important the educational aspect of what we do is to our patients. Before you decide on a large dental procedure like dental implants, you should know a few things about them and how they work. Dental implants represent the most impressive and health conscious way to replace teeth that has ever existed, but they weren’t always the pinnacle of cutting-edge technology. Dental implants have seen much use in many different cultures throughout history.
Dental Implants Date Back a Long TimeDental implants have been around for many hundreds of years in the archaeological record. The earliest known dental implant is believed to be found in China where the ancient culture replaced missing teeth with carved bamboo pegs. Roughly 3000 years ago there is evidence that the Egyptians used copper to replace missing teeth in a sarcophagus after death in a ritual that was meant to make the body whole. This would be the first evidence of metal being used to replace a missing tooth, even if it was placed posthumously. Archaeological evidence suggests that around 2000 years ago a Celtic man had a dental implant-like iron tooth placed in his mouth posthumously.
In 1931 Mayan remains that dated back to 600 AD were found with seashells that had been carved into the shape of teeth and had been used as teeth! The most interesting part of these Mayan remains was that these seashell implants had successfully healed into the jaw of the person who had them placed, which means osseointegration took place using seashells as implants. This is notable because modern day dental implants rely on osseointegration to provide patients with a solid foundation for their implant restorations.
The Birth of Modern Dental ImplantsWant to learn more about dental implants?If you have questions about dental implants, or if you would like to schedule your dental implant consultation, we would be happy to answer all of your questions.
Schedule Your Dental Implant ConsultationAnyone who has lost a tooth due to an accident or because of tooth decay can benefit from a dental implant. This is true both today and throughout history. Hundreds and thousands of years ago people were losing their teeth for the same reasons we lose them today. Tooth loss due to traumatic injury was a more common occurrence, and people throughout history did not have a great way to keep their teeth healthy and clean as we do now. Call us today at (503) 292-8996 to schedule an appointment. |
