Not surprisingly, implants have a long history due to the necessity of being able to chew. Implant history also steams from the human want of having a confident smile. Implant dentistry has come a long way for what it is today. According to an article from The Open Dentistry Journal, "In approximately 2500 BC, the ancient Egyptians tried to stabilize teeth that were periodontally involved with the use of ligature wire made of gold."(1). The work of dentistry has existed and evolved throughout time. Nowadays, dentists use all kinds of techniques to restore smiles.
The deep-rooted history of implants emphasizes the need for people to address their oral health. It also exemplifies the value and innovation of dentists worldwide. An array of different civilizations from the ancient Egyptians, the Phoenicians to the Mayans impacted the history of dental implants. For example, the Mayans used shell pieces as implants to restore missing teeth (2). It shouldn't be too surprising that these civilizations were able to be creative considering the other wonders they've imprinted in history.
However, the history of implants isn't always as imaginative as one would think. According to The Dental Geek, "2000 years ago people often tried to replace lost teeth with animal ones, or teeth bought from slaves and poor people."(3). In those times, you could buy teeth from slaves or poor people apparently to fix your own. You must be wondering, "do they still do something like this?" Hopefully not, but real human teeth are sold for educational and demonstrative purposes. As can be seen, dental implants have quite an interesting history. The evolution and innovation of dental implants now are all partly thanks to these fascinating histories.