r homologus materials such as human or animal teeth, carved human and animal bone, fragments of ivory, and mother of pearl and other materials. About one thousand years ago Spaniards replaced teeth by transplantation. Several hundred years ago in France and England, lost teeth were obtained from young adults who were paid for their extracted teeth. However, infectious diseases such as syphilis and tuberculosis were transferred as well. Over the years, many treatments were suggested but failed. In 1952, in a laboratory in the town of Lund, Sweden, a Professor Per-Ingvar Branemark discovered that is was impossible to recovery any of the bone anchored titanium microscopes he was using in his research. It appeared as though titanium bonded irreversibly to living bone tissue. This observation would later become the bases for the modern dental implant. He realized that under carefully controlled conditions, titanium could be structurally integrated into living bone, Branemark named this phenomenon osseointergration. By 1965, the first practical application of osseointergration were placed in patients. More than thirty years later, the non-removable teeth were function perfectly. The American Dental Association accepted the concept in 1986 (Slavkin 1-8).There are three types of implants. One fits on top of the bone, which is called subperiosteal implant. This implant actually does not go into the bone. It sits on the bone and is covered by the tissue. This type is useful if there is a lack of bone. Another type of implant is Endosteal. There are different sizes and shapes. They may be shaped like cylinders, flat or even blade like. The choice of what implant is used depends on the quality and amount of available bone and type of prosthesis desired. Transosseous implants are the third type. These implants are similar to subperiosteal except they actually penetrate the jaw so that they emerge on the opposite site of insertion, usually...
