Implantology, the history of dental implants and their installation, has not been significantly highlighted in the public eye or science. The year 1913 is known for the creation of the first successful implant, called the Greenfield implant. His invention was not particularly new in terms of implantation itself. What is much more important is that Greenfield realized that titanium adheres best to the jawbone. This is when modern implantology truly began.
Archaeological evidence suggests that civilizations living several thousand years ago attempted to address tooth loss. Skulls have been found with indicators of some form of tooth augmentation in the bone. In ancient China, remains with traces of bamboo have been found, believed to be a form of implant. In ancient Egypt, people similarly made implants from precious metals. Ivory was also a popular material.
The name Wilson Popenoe and his wife became important in 1931 when he found the jaw of a young Mayan woman from the sixth century in Honduras, missing her incisors. Pieces resembling teeth, made from shells, were found in the skull. The bone showed “hospitality” as it formed well around the implant. The term osteointegration is very important because it refers to the bone’s ability to integrate with a titanium insert.
