Osseointegration Explained

The basis of the success of dental implants explained by our Birmingham implant dentist.

Osseointegration may not be a term that patients of Arthur House Dental Care are especially familiar with, but it is a process that forms an essential part of the dental implant procedure.

Described in the Merriam-Webster encyclopedia as “the firm anchoring of a surgical implant (as in dentistry or in bone surgery) by the growth of bone around it without fibrous tissue formation at the interface”, osseointegration is the reason that dental implants offer a strong and stable option for replacing lost teeth.

Discovery

The process of osseointegration was discovered by accident in 1952 by a Swedish scientist called  Per-Ingvar Brånemark. Whilst using titanium rods in rabbits as part of an unrelated medical experiment, he found that, at the conclusion of the experiment, he was unable to remove the rods easily. On closer inspection, he realised that the reason for this was that the bone had fused to the metal rods.

Whilst  this outcome was unexpected, Per-Ingvar Brånemark realised that this could offer great benefits for medical purposes and conducted further tests to ensure that this was not simply a one off result.

As we now know, it turned out to be the case that titanium, placed into the bone of animals or humans will gradually bond to the bone. To date, only titanium or titanium alloy have been found to do this successfully.

As titanium is an expensive metal, this is a factor in the cost of dental implants. This has led some to opt for cheaper implant procedures abroad, only to find, in some cases, that the implants have failed due to inferior materials being used.

In 1965, the very first dental implant was placed into a human being and the rest, as they say, is history.

Modern dental implants

With progress in the field of dental implants having been made over the years, and with high quality dental implant training being available, it is perhaps of little surprise that this procedure is now increasingly popular.

At Arthur House Dental Care in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, dental implant placement is one of our most popular cosmetic dental procedures. Whilst it does have cosmetic benefits for filling the gaps in a patient’s teeth, it is perhaps in their functionality that dental implants offer the greatest benefits.

Unlike alternative solutions such as dentures and bridges, implants actually create an artificial root into the jawbone, thereby replicating a natural tooth. Not only does this provide stability and security, but also protects the bone itself from degrading.

This factor helps a patient retain their facial shape but also helps to keep the surrounding teeth from becoming crooked and potentially unattractive too.

Eating, using dental implants, can be a real joy too, with little thought having to be paid to what can and cannot be eaten easily. With dental implants, a full range of foods should be accessible with virtually no problems at all.

If you have a missing tooth, or teeth, and would like to discuss whether dental implants are a solution you would like to take up, why not arrange an appointment with us by ringing through to our reception team on 0121 323 4492.