Since time immemorial, humans have used dental implants in one form or other to replace missing teeth. The first evidence of dental implants is attributed to the Mayan population roughly around 600 AD where they succeeded in utilizing pieces of shells as implants as a replacement for mandibular teeth. Radiographs taken in the 1970’s of Mayan mandibles show compact bone formation around the implants. Moreover, around 800 AD, a stone implant was first prepared and placed in the mandible in the early Honduran culture.13
In 1809, J. Maggiolo inserted a gold implant tube into a fresh extraction socket which was allowed to heal and later a crown was added. But unfortunately, there was extensive inflammation of the gingiva which followed the procedure. Innumerable substances during this time period were used as implants; these included silver capsules, corrugated porcelain, and iridium tubes.13,14 Dr. EJ Greenfield15, in 1913, placed a “24-gauge hollow latticed cylinder of iridio-platinum soldered with 24-karat gold” as an artificial root to “fit exactly the circular incision made for it in the jaw-bone of the patient”. In the 1930’s, two brothers, Dr. Alvin and Dr. Moses Strock, experimented with orthopedic screw fixtures made of Vitallium (chromium-cobalt alloy). They carefully observed how physicians successfully placed implants in the hip bone, so they implanted them in both humans and dogs to restore …show more content…
His original implant design involved flat abutments and screws which lay over the crest of the alveolar ridge. In 1970’s, doctors Roberts and Roberts began the development of the Ramus Blade endosseous implant. This implant was made of surgical grade stainless steel; according to them, it was to serve as a “synthetic third molar”.16 The 1970’s brought in the placement of vitreous carbon implants by