A full dentition is essential to smile, speak, and chew. Through history, toothlessness has always been an issue.

Egyptians performed dental restoration by fixing unstable teeth with gold wires. A dental implant was discovered replacing an upper premolar of a Gallo-Roman man. George Washington (1732-1799) is probably the most famous public figure wearing a denture. Today, in Germany, adults are missing 2 teeth on average, elderly are missing more than 9 teeth. 12% of seniors are afflicted by total edentulism. Those oral health statistics are among the best in an international comparison. In the USA, more than 36 million Americans do not have any teeth, and 120 million people are missing at least one tooth.

Definition: Edentulism is the complete loss of all natural teeth and can substantially reduce quality of life, self-image and daily activities.