Dental Implant History, Research, and Market Growth
In 1917 a general dentist by the name of Bob Greenfield from Wichita Kansas obtained the first patent for a tooth replacement system in the USA. Between that time and the mid 1980's dentists who placed implants were considered to be practicing with a very unpredictable mode of therapy, and majority of these specialty dentistry programs did not sanction the use of implants.
The tide turned when a physician from Sweden studying bone repair happened to notice that the bone cells liked to grow around titanium. For twenty years they researched on their population and came up with protocols for what they called "osseointegration." These findings were presented at a North American Conference and the companies started to sell the system to hospitals as most of their protocols were hospital driven. The hospitals used the protocols and started to train oral surgeons to place dental implants. Periodontists (treat diseases of the gum and associated support tissues) and Prosthodontists (replacement specialists for missing facial structures) started incorporating implant training into their dental programs. A US dentist by the name of Gerald Niznick decided to patent his own system of titanium implants and started to sell them to and train general dentists to place them. In recent times Endodontists (root canal specialists), and Orthodontists (braces and other devices to straighten teeth) have started adopting implant placement into their general protocols.
I was fortunate enough to work with Dr. Niznick and his surgical team in California in the early 1980’s. I placed my first implants in Danville over 25 years ago following my return from that mini-residency program. There are certain advantages for patients who need implant therapy, cosmetic rehabilitation, root canal therapy, bridges or dentures in going to an office that can provide all those services. In our office we "start with the end in mind." We design the anticipated smile results and instead of just giving a patient some implants, we place the implants in the best position to facilitate the end result. We have a great relationship with our dental specialists and often utilize them when patients have advanced periodontal disease or if patient has lost so much bone that they require procedures like a "hip graft."
People realize that loss of teeth will eventually lead to loss of bone in the jaw that not only affects the looks of a patient but severely limits their ability to process nutritional food. To help offset the problem our office is not only dedicated to providing dental implants to patients, we are dedicated to help educate our colleagues in implant dentistry. We continually update our education with staying current with the literature as well as staying abreast by maintaining our credentials with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI).
Periodontists and oral surgeons are placing more implants than they did ten years ago, and the vast majority of their patients are very satisfied with the results. According to an online poll of periodontists conducted by the American Academy of Periodontology people from all age groups are opting for implants. 43 percent said half or more of the implants they place are for people ages 55 to 79, while 31 percent reported that half or more of the implants that they place are for baby boomers. The top reasons for tooth loss leading to implant placement were periodontal disease, tooth decay and injuries.
Implant procedures are growing at 12% year-over-year. The increase in implants has more to do with the fact that patients are becoming aware of this treatment option, and through their own research, are becoming more familiar and more comfortable with the option. In fact, research shows that people seeking implants today are more often referring themselves, rather than a dentist referring them for the implant.
While dental implants are expensive in the short term, they are long-lasting and more tooth-saving than traditional bridgework since they do not rely on neighboring teeth for support. It is impossible to put a price tag on some of the esthetic and health benefits of dental implants such as it is the only tooth replacement system that stimulates bone growth. Recent advances in implant dentistry have allowed surgeons to decrease the time between implant placement and final restoration. One system allows either one or two-stage implant placement depending upon location and bone quality of the edentulous area. For example, implants can be placed immediately in cases of maxillary anterior tooth extractions, which could save as much as 3-6 months of waiting time.
The level of pain or discomfort that the majority of patients experience in the process of getting implants is very little to none. Many implant clinicians observe that their patients have commented after getting implants that they were surprised by the lack of pain.
If you have any questions, or would like to discuss your case, please do not hesitate to contact Advanced Smile Arts. We look forward to helping you achieve great health and a beautiful smile!