The dentist claims that the NobelDirect dental implant has serious design defects that lead to complications such as bone loss, an allegation Nobel Biocare denies.

Dr. Jason Yamada seeks compensation not just for himself but for the thousands of US dentists who have placed NobelDirect dental implants. The suit claims these dentists have had to perform or pay for additional surgeries on patients who suffered complications from the allegedly faulty implant.

The suit further alleges that Nobel Biocare has known about the defects for a number of years. In 2005-06, the Swedish Medical Products Agency investigated claims of bone loss with the NobelDirect implant. Nobel was allowed to continue selling the tooth implant, but was instructed to alter its instructions and marketing.

Nobel says that, as a result of the Swedish investigation, the product has been extremely well-documented. Spokesman Nicolas Weidmann told Reuters, "We have very, very comprehensive material and data, including the clearance from the SMPA in Sweden, that the product is absolutely safe."

Not surprisingly, Nobel Biocare plans to fight the suit.

Read more: Dentist seeks US class action suit vs. Nobel Biocare

There's no titanium tooth implant. With stem cells and growth enhancers, a scaffold can become a tooth in as little as nine weeks.

Most dentists find dental implants rewarding. This new dental implant technology is still is research, and the cost of dental implants won't be dropping anytime soon. But stem cells just may be the new titanium.

The study, led by Dr. Jeremy Mao of Columbia University Medical Center, was published in the Journal of Dental Research.

Read more at Popular Science: Stem-Cell Dental Implants Grow New Teeth Right In Your Mouth

Consumer portal website 1st-DentalImplants.com provides local listings of dentists who offer implant dentistry, as well as a variety of other dental implant resources.

The Internet Dental Alliance announces the re-launch of its consumer information website 1st-DentalImplants.com. The website offers patients a variety of implant dentistry resources. Patients can find a properly trained implant dentist, learn more about dental implants, ask questions of an expert dentist, and more.

The find-a-dentist website also offers up fascinating facts. For example, teeth implants that are over 1,000 years old have been found from the Mayan civilization. Tooth-shaped pieces of shell were found placed into the sockets of missing incisors and had actually been incorporated into the bone structure.

Learn more about the dental implant portal website