Implants have been around in one form or another since early civilization. Early civilization implants were not usually successful but scientific records show that they were attempted as early as 600 A.D. Archeologists have discovered everything from carved stone, jade and even fragments of seashells were fused to the jawbone in attempt to replace missing teeth.
It wasn’t until 1952 that an orthopedic surgeon noticed when he placed a titanium cylinder into a jawbone, he was then unable to remove the cylinder due to the titanium fusing to the bone, and this was the beginning of modern implants. Implants were first used for people who had lost all of their teeth and had trouble with dentures due to bone loss in the jaw. Today implants are used to replace multiple missing teeth and single missing teeth.
Implants consist of the implant itself, an abutment, and a crown. The implant is a titanium screw that permanently attaches to the jaw. The abutment is a connector between the implant and the crown . The crown is generally made of porcelain, porcelain zirconium, or porcelain fused to metal, which are all good for durability and the appearance of an aesthetically correct tooth. The doctor determines the crown material based off of placement of the tooth and other factors of what would be best for that individual.
Dental implants are the best option for a missing tooth replacement. With implants the adjacent teeth are left untouched, whereas with a bridge the adjacent teeth must have crowns placed. Implants are also the only option that keeps the bone from resorbing; they do not decay, and are the most comparable to a natural tooth in regards to durability and functionality.