History of implantology from the aspect of osseointegration and mucointegration

Abstract

The tendency to replace lost teeth by implanting foreign material is as old as civilization itself. The accelerated development of implantology as a science started only in the middle of the last century. The essence of implantology is the process of osseointegration. The greatest merits for this phenomenon belong to prof. Per Ingvar Brenemark, who accidentally discovered the possibility of complete incorporation of a titanium implant into the surrounding bone. With the discovery of osseointegration and defining the conditions that enable it, the period of implantology development begins with the improvement of endosseous implantation into an efficient method of prosthetic rehabilitation, predictable outcome and extended lifespan of implants and dental restoration in function. Implantology initially aimed to improve the function and quality of life of partial and complete edentulism patients, and since the 1990s it has become prosthetically guided not only by functional but also by aesthetic principles. With the beginning of the 21st century, implantology is aimed at improving the appearance and stability of soft tissues, thus beginning the era of mucointegration.