The pioneering work of Bra˚ nemark ushered in a new era in dentistryd the era of implant dentistry. Bra˚ nemark and his colleagues created a new field of study from a serendipitous research observation, thus exemplifying Pasteur’s dictum that ‘‘chance favors the prepared mind.’’ Through further research, these investigators transformed the field of implantology from an unpredictable art to a well-grounded clinical science. This research provided the scientific basis for a set of strict clinical protocols. Although some of the early protocols proved to be overly conservative, such as the requirement that all implant surgery be performed in an operating room environment, the growth of implantology was well served.
