Perhaps you have a missing tooth or two, or maybe you are considering getting dental implants over dentures. Whatever it is about dental implants that creates infatuation among the general public, these modern prosthetic teeth have a big story to tell. If you were to ask your dentist some of the questions on your mind about dental implants, some of their answers might surprise you. Here is a look at some of the most interesting facts about dental implants if you are a curious prospective patient.

There are many dental implants placed in a year's time. 

The loss of teeth is a normal thing in today's society, whether it is just a single tooth or a full set. But how many people who lose their teeth get dental implants? Well, statistics show that there are many who do. It is estimated that about 100,000 to 300,000 dental implants are placed every single year. This is about as many prosthetic teeth as there are prosthetic hips and knee joints placed in a year's time. So in your day-to-day life, there is a pretty good possibility that you will encounter at least one person who has a dental implant or a full set of dental implants in their mouth. 

Dental implants have an interesting history. 

When you look at what dental implants are today, you can't help but wonder what their history was and where it all got started. Archaeologists have actually dug up evidence that people have been attempting to replace their natural teeth with items pushed into the bone in the jaw for thousands of years. They have found teeth fashioned from ivory, bits of shell, pieces of human bone, and even bamboo pegs shaped like natural teeth. Modern implants as you probably know them really didn't come about until 1913. 

There are still not many dentists who do implants. 

Even though dental implants are a popular way to replace teeth in the modern age, there are not as many dentists as you might expect wh are actually trained and offer the treatment to patients. In fact, only about ten percent of dentists in the United States offer dental implants as part of their treatment listings according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Of course, that number will probably rise as more and more people opt for dental implants and they become a more commonly sought after treatment for missing teeth.