How I Got Hooked.

Before I could bring myself to place in the first dental implant into my patient’s jaw, I had to overcome the difficult mental block of believing that it is actually possible for a missing tooth to be replaced by an artificial implant.

Throughout my dental school training and into my subsequent years of treating various types of dental diseases, the incessant mantra that was emphasized again and again and again was the need to prevent inflammation of the tissues in the mouth, especially the soft tissue. Time and time again, I observed how vulnerable teeth can become once the gums have become inflamed. Inevitably, the inflammation was associated with foreign elements like pathogenic bacteria in plaque attached to teeth and fillings and prostheses. The idea of a foreign element being embedded into the gums and bones, sticking out into the mouth, then expecting them to stay there and undergo continued stress and hoping that they will be maintained there for years was considered a pipe dream.

In order to overcome the mental block, I decided to read as much about dental implants as possible. I paid special attention to the landmark discoveries and writings of Professor Braunemark of Sweden.  I spent a small fortune buying his books and others like it and reading them all. This intellectual exercise helped me to substantially overcome the deep seated skepticism that I felt towards dental implants to the point that I felt that I was ready to take on my first patient. Having convinced my first patient to have dental implants placed in her mouth, I proceeded to do a sinus lift simultaneously with 3 conventional implants placed on the upper left maxilla! I planned carefully and worked down all the steps required and read up all I could to prepare for my first implant surgery.

Then I followed the steps faithfully and stitched up the wound. Four months later I placed in some healing caps and a week later removed them. The sight of the healthily pink and well healed gingiva, like a well formed crater in the gums at the bottom of which I could see the shiny surface of the titanium fixture was something I can never forget. There was little or no inflammation and no bleeding. It struck me convincingly and clearly that titanium is biocompatible with the bone and mucosa of the human body.

From that moment on, I was hooked. Dental implants work!