Today, I would like to start with a historical picture.
Take a close look at the person in the photo.
Notice that she has a closed breathing circuit,
so that not even the air she breathes will escape
in the environment.
You might think that the photo is from a deadly virus outbreak
or a space movie.
Today, it might be hard to believe that the person
in the astronaut suit was actually a dental surgeon
on her way to perform an implant surgery in the late 70s.
After 40 years of research, implant dentistry
has come a long way since that pioneering times.
The indications for implant placements have expanded
and more than 10 million dental implants
are placed worldwide every year.
Does this mean that implants are for every one
with missing teeth?
Certainly not!
Despite the significant progress,
not everyone is suited for dental implants
and careful patient selection
remains still the most important factor to ensure long term success.
From a systemic point of view,
we identify two types of contraindications for dental implants:
the absolute and the relative.