Dental Implant Treatment Through the Ages

Dental Implant Treatment Through the Ages

Dental implants remain unlike any other restoration as they completely restore the entire structure of a tooth, from root to crown. It is easy to assume that they are a modern marvel.

However, it may surprise you to learn that dental implants are nothing new. In fact, they have been around for thousands of years.

Ancient History

The earliest evidence of dental implants dates back as far as 4,000 years when China carved bamboo to fabricate as teeth replacements. They were tapped into the jawbone where the site of the missing tooth was.

Ancient Egyptians had similar thinking over 2,000 years ago, making pegs out of precious metals they tapped into the jawbone. Archeologists have discovered mummies with transplanted human, animal, and artificial teeth made of ivory.

In 1931, a man named Wilson Popenoe, and his wife, found the lower jaw of a young Mayan woman dating back to 600 A.D., which had three missing incisors that had been replaced by pieces of shell. The shells had been purposely shaped to mimic natural teeth.

This evidence shows that bone growth and calculus formations around the artificial teeth clearly stated that they were not only for aesthetics, but they were also functional.

Through the Middle-Ages and 1800’s

In medieval Europe, from the 16^th to the mid-19^th centuries, professionals in the dental industry would collect teeth from the underprivileged or cadavers for dental implants. During this time, a doctor named John Hunter worked alongside grave robbers to observe bodies for documentation of the human anatomy, including the mouth.

Throughout the 17 and late 1800’s, many medical professionals experimented with a multitude of different materials, hoping to achieve successful dental implant surgery. Silver capsules, corrugated porcelain, and iridium tubes were all used but unsuccessful.

Of course, we now know that for the body to accept the dental implant, a material must be used to encourage osseointegration to commence, or, in other words, for the jawbone to properly and permanently fuse to the implant.

Per-Ingvar Brȧnemark: The Founder of Titanium Implants

In 1952, an orthopedic surgeon named Per-Ingvar Brȧnemark accidentally discovered titanium implants have a much higher success rate. He had placed a piece of titanium in a rabbit’s femur during a separate experiment and found that he was unable to remove it because the bone had fused with the titanium.

Thirteen years later, he inserted his first titanium implant into a human patient, and it was entirely successful!

Present and Future

Since Brȧnemark’s breakthrough discovery, dental implants continue to be made of high-grade titanium and are screwed and shaped so they can securely fit into the jawbone. To this day, dental implants are the ideal tooth replacement method worldwide.

At Lorton Springfield Dental Implant & Oral Surgery, Dr. Snehal Patel and his team of trusted oral surgeons are dedicated to providing exceptional dental implant treatment to ensure the highest quality of care. 

What is a bone graft procedure? What are the benefits?

What is a bone graft procedure? What are the benefits?

In the field of restorative dentistry, bone graft procedures are relatively common. Patients anticipating a dental implant procedure may be recommended this treatment to ensure the success of their implants. There are many benefits to this procedure.

What is a Bone Graft?

Bone grafting is a procedure in which material is added to build up the jawbone. It can be used to repair severe fractures that aren’t healing right, or to help fuse vertebrae, correct deformities, or provide structural support to spinal fractures.  In dentistry, bone grafts are often necessary for dental implant patients. Bone grafts can fill sockets left after tooth extraction. They can also build up the entire alveolar bone, through a ridge modification.

To perform this procedure, a dental professional must first properly anesthetize the area, so their patient remains comfortable. Usually, dentists choose general anesthesia.  A socket graft is a localized addition of new bone material, to fill in the space left by a missing tooth. If these spaces are not filled, they will shrink even smaller and cause further complications. The synthetic bone material is placed into the cavities and sealed. Eventually, these will heal into strong new bone.

A ridge modification is a large-scale bone graft of the alveolar bone. A dentist will place new bone, either synthetic or sourced from the body, on the alveolar bone. Eventually, this material is integrated into the body.

Benefits of Bone Grafts

Without tooth roots to stimulate the alveolar bone, the process of bone resorption is accelerated. Bone deterioration is the process by which the body reabsorbs the calcium in bone, causing the bone to shrink in mass. Advanced bone resorption will distort the face and further complicate chewing and speaking. Dental implant posts are designed to combat this buy acting act artificial tooth roots, and keep the jaw bone stimulated and full. But without proper bone mass, the jaw cannot support a dental implant.

Bone grafts allow patients with missing teeth to have the full, healthy smile of their youth. Even people with advanced bone loss can often, repair their smiles with a bone graft.

If you or a loved one are in need of bone graft surgery, consider the competent specialists at Lorton Springfield Dental Implant and Oral Surgery. Our staff is gentle, kind, and experienced. Choose the specialists in our practice to help ensure the success of your bone graft and dental implant surgery.

When are Sinus Lifts and Ridge Augmentations Necessary?

When are Sinus Lifts and Ridge Augmentations Necessary?

If you’re considering dental implants, you may have heard of sinus lift and ridge augmentation procedures. These are common in the dental world, and nothing to be frightened of. These procedures are straightforward and have a high success rate. This article details below when these procedures are necessary, so keep reading to learn more about sinus lifts and ridge augmentations.

Sinus Lifts

A sinus lift is a surgical procedure known to the professional community as maxillary sinus floor augmentation. The goal of a sinus lift is to increase the amount of bone in the back of the upper jaw. The upper jaw is a tricky area to work with because it protects the largest of the paranasal sinuses. These are located under the eyes and above the maxillary bones. Within the cavity is essentially an air pocket, protected by a thin membrane of tissue. This air pocket, along with the others in the face, is responsible for the feeling of stuffiness and sinus headaches during a cold or allergy season.

To achieve a successful sinus lift, a dental professional must first ensure the sterility of the work environment and proper anesthetization of the patient. The sinus cavity is accessed beneath the thin layer of alveolar bone. It is gently pushed up, and the empty cavity remaining is filled with bone-graft material. This may be artificial or sourced from a human body, either your own or a cadaver. Once filled, the soft tissues are stitched, and the healing process begins. Your surgeon may recommend an antiseptic mouthwash to ensure the wound stays clean and free of bacteria. The soft tissues will heal quickly, but the bones need to Osseo integrate to support the implants. Once that process is completed, the crown is affixed to the implant, and the process is complete.

Sinus lifts are necessary when the upper jaw has insufficient bone mass to support a dental implant. This often occurs in patients wearing dentures long-term. Without the tooth roots to stimulate the jaw bone, the process of bone resorption is accelerated. Some patients have but a thin wafer-like layer of bone between their gum tissue and sinus cavity. To receive successful dental implants, the bone volume must be increased.

Ridge Augmentations

A ridge augmentation is a surgical procedure intended to add mass to the alveolar ridges of the jaw bone. The alveolar ridge is the upper level of bone that houses the teeth roots and the dental implant posts. Without the stimulation of the teeth roots, this area is subject to accelerated bone resorption. Patients with significantly small alveolar ridges often have a sunken-in appearance to the face. Dentists can augment the entire ridge, or localize the procedure to single sockets.

This procedure involves opening up the soft tissues to reveal the shrunken bone below. Bones are given increased mass with bone graft material, and then the tissues are sealed. After a period of healing, the implants are placed. Ridge augmentations are common along the lower jaw, but may also take place on the upper jaw.

Ridge augmentations are necessary for patients without adequate bone density to get dental implants. It’s common to need this along the lower jaw, but occasionally a patient may need a ridge augmentation along the upper jaw. This is especially common for socket augmentations.

For more information on sinus lifts and ridge augmentations, contact the office Lorton-Springfield Dental Implant & Oral Surgery. We specialize in these services and give excellent results. Our staff is kind and patient. We look forward to hearing from you!