If you think dental implants are a recent discovery, think again. Dental implants date back to 600 A.D. and the Mayan civilization. You may wonder how they were performed. What tools were used?  Take your Encinitas, CA, periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania’s true or false quiz below to find out.

1. T or F: There are still questions regarding the safety and effectiveness of dental implants.

2. T or F: Implants are used to replace both the crown and the root of the tooth.

3. T or F: Back during Mayan civilization they used a hammer and shells to perform dental implants.

4. T or F: Today, shells and hammers are still often used to perform implants.

5. T or F: In some cases it is necessary for the patient to undergo a bone graft before an implant.

6. T or F: Implant success rates average 50%.

7. T or F: The fabricated tooth attached to the implant post is often a ceramic crown.

8. T or F: Ceramic crowns are so similar to natural teeth they even decay.

Answers:

1. False: Implants today have been proven to be safe and extremely effective.
2. False: The term implant refers to the replacement of the tooth root.
3. True: Research found that in ancient times a dental implant was performed by hammering a tooth-like shell into the jaw bone of a Mayan woman.
4. False: Today dental implants are performed with titanium posts. A biochemical reaction takes place fusing the titanium to the bone creating a strong bond on which to anchor a fabricated tooth.
5. True: If the patient is experiencing degeneration of the bone a bone graft is required before the implant procedure. The jaw bone must be healthy and strong for the implant to succeed.
6. False: Implant success rates are as high as 98%.
7. True: Commonly the replacement tooth is fabricated of ceramic because it is aesthetic and can be designed to blend with the patients surrounding dentition. Also, the biocompatibility of ceramic crowns with oral tissue eliminates irritation.
8. False: Replacement crowns are made of dental materials that do not decay.

 About Your Encinitas Periodontist

To learn how to keep your smile healthy and beautiful so you can enjoy the benefits it offers, subscribe to this blog, and visit Dr. Kania for a consultation. As a board-certified periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania is specially qualified to diagnose and treat issues concerning periodontal tissue and the supportive structures of a patient’s smile, as well as place dental implants to restore teeth lost to dental disease or trauma. To seek Dr. Kania’s expertise, visit our office or contact us today at (760) 642-0711.