The Promota -Africa Magazine issue 33

Page 122

HEALTH

Sea Shells And Robot Teeth: Why Dental Implanst Are The Best Choice For Oral Health

W

e might think of dental implants that replace missing teeth as a fairly modern medical development, but the process actually stretches back for centuries. In 1931, the jawbone remains of a young Mayan woman were discovered in Honduras.

122 | THE PROMOTA

The remains date back to around 600 AD, and it was discovered that seashells had been shaped as three replacement teeth and had been inserted into the jaw. The gum had grown back around the seashells, fixing them in place, meaning that they presumably worked as functional teeth. Dental

implants as we know them were developed in the 1950’s, and over the decades, the process has developed into an effective way to replace teeth that have been lost to gum disease or accident. So how do dental implants work? And why should you be considering them to replace lost or damaged teeth? The Curse of the Missing Tooth Having a missing tooth is hugely inconvenient. No matter what the circumstances were that led to the loss, you might feel somewhat lucky if the loss occurred towards the back of your mouth, and so can’t easily be seen by others. This is still a major issue, and the teeth surrounding the gap might begin to deteriorate at an increased rate, as they’re put under additional stress - having to work extra hard to make www.thepromota.co.uk


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