Believe it or not, the first dental implants are thought to have been placed more than 1300 years ago in 600 AD when a young Mayan woman used pieces of shell to help restore her smile.
Evidence of ancient Egyptian shell and ivory dental implants has been found on archaeological digs, as well. The ancient Mayans and Egyptians were way ahead of their time, however. It wasn’t until 1951 that Per-Ingvar Branemark, a Swedish professor, made the first big stride towards the dental implants we know today.
After accidentally screwing a titanium metal cylinder into the thighbone of an animal test subject, Professor Branemark was surprised to find that, over time, the metal cylinder had fused with the bone. It didn’t take long for Branemark to translate his discovery to human needs.
Once oral implantology gained popularity during the 1980s, dental implants became the leading dentistry procedure for tooth replacement. Dr. Corbet Locke, a dentist in Waco, Texas, believes in the power of dental implants and has renewed his patients’ smiles with implants for years.
Dental implants have a 95 to 98 percent success rate, and Dr. Locke has seen firsthand how dental implants have improved the smiles and the lives of his patients with varying dental needs.
For more information about dental implants or to schedule an implant consultation appointment, call Dr. Locke’s dental office in Waco at (254) 776-4888.