When teeth have been lost, or when your teeth cannot or should not be saved, dental implants can be a permanent replacement option. Implants are replacements for tooth roots that are fabricated from an inert, pure titanium that your body looks at as its own. They are placed into the jaw to act as supports for new teeth and can also be used to support or stabilize dentures.

Man's desire to replace missing teeth dates centuries back to pre-columbian times. Throughout history, different materials and designs have been attempted with varying degress of success. Today’s generation of dental implants are highly predictable, comfortable, cosmetic and successful long term.

Titanium as an implant material was a serendipitous discovery by Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark in 1952 in Lund, Sweden. While investigating wound healing, Professor Brånemark had placed temporary titanium microscopes into the leg bones of rabbits. To his dismay, initially, when trying to recover these fixtures, he found that they couldn't be removed! Not only were they biocompatible but the bone seemed to grow up against the metal and complete healing occured. This process of bone healing to titanium is called "osseointegration" and provides the biological basis of dental implantology.

The first practical dental application of osseointegration was the implantation of new titanium roots or fixtures in an edentulous patient in 1965. More than forty years later, the non-removable teeth attached to these roots are still functioning perfectly.

With success rates greater than 95%, the standard of care in dentistry considers dental implants conventional for permanent tooth replacement and is outpacing treament alternatives such as bridges or dentures. We are in an age of additive dentistry, where new roots can give longevity to the jawbone and your remaining natural teeth.

To see what restorations are possible with dental implants, visit:

For more information or a consultation to see if dental implants are right for you, contact the Center today to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Scott Keith or Dr. Maggie Chao at (925) 935-4040.