Dental implants are often seen to be a modern day procedure, due to the advanced materials and technology involved. However, there is a long history of dental implants (Implantat Berlin) throughout human history, even if the earliest versions were very different to those today. The ancient Mayan civilisation is often credited with the first use of dental implants, dating back to at least 600 AD. We know of their existence because archaeologists discovered fragments of mandible of Maya origin, with segments of shell placed into jaw sockets in the place of missing teeth. While scientists originally thought that these segments were placed after death, a radiograph by Brazilian dental academic, Professor Amadeo Bobbio, proved otherwise. Dental implants have changed a lot since this time however, especially in the 20th century through advances in dentistry tools and titanium manufacture.

While modern dental implants are normally well accepted and of very high quality, there are still some problems with their use. Even in successful procedures when dental implants fuse with the bone successfully, they lack the periodontal ligament and will feel slightly different than natural teeth in some situations. However, despite this small negative, their advantages vastly outweigh their disadvantages for most people. Most of the research into modern dental implants began in the 1950s, through studies into titanium, bone healing, and bone regeneration. The first modern dental implant was placed in 1952 by Dr. Leonard Linkow, only four months after he graduated from Dental school.

A number of other advancements have taken place in the decades since then, especially in terms of titanium research and the formalisation of the procedures involved. Per Branemark was the first person to observe how well bone adheres with titanium, and he carried out a number of studies into this phenomenon. Through the use of both animal and human subjects, Branemark confirmed this unique property of titanium, which is crucial to how dental implants are used today. Even today in the 21st century, research continues into different materials and procedures, with many dental researchers working with the material zirconia. This material is likely to play an importantly role in the future of dental implants, as are a number of cosmetic considerations.