Implant Site Preservation – A Key To Implant Success

Since the introduction of dental implants into North America in the early 1980’s, we have witnessed an evolution in how implants are used to replace missing teeth. At the outset, implants were seen as a means to provide support to overdentures for edentulous patients. Subsequently, implants began being considered for single tooth replacement and even full arch dental replacement. In the infancy of this type of usage, implants were generally placed in the most available area of bone without regard to prosthetic restorability. As it became apparent that many of these restorations were not very functional and were difficult to maintain, implant dentistry became a much more prosthetically driven discipline.