Fangs ain't what they used to be...

Dental milestones through the years

2698 BC

First record of dental care in writings of Chinese emperor Huang Ti. Ancient Chinese used acupuncture to relieve toothache and gum pain

2500BC

Egyptian mummy with two gold molars held together by strands of gold wire. Later, Egyptians extracted the of slaves for use by pharaohs (attached by gold wire)

10AD

Romans provide first reference to filling teeth

1187

Arabian-Hebrew philosopher Maimonides refers to gold teeth crowns, used to hide  hideous-looking decayed teeth

1600s

Britain's upper classes were beginning to try out false teeth, often made from hippo tusk

1700s

English 'resurrectionists' made a tidy sum claiming teeth from the dead - to be used for false teeth

1844

Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) becomes widely available to relieve dental pain

1851

Chloroform first used to relieve dental pain

1873

First gold-banded crown - later enhanced by the development of cements for fixation purposes

1878

First porcelain crown attached through a threaded dowel

1885

Local anaesthetics become accepted practice

1890

American dentist Edward H Angle develops the principles of modern orthodontics

1900s

Angle's braces become available for teeth straightening

1930s

Italians develop first false teeth implants - later improved by the Swedes

1960s

Veneers become widely available in the US

1975

Blue light used to set cement, improving quality of veneers and crowns

1980

Transparent braces first become available in US

1980s

Computer technology developed to improve the precision of all forms of cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics

1985

Linear braces (fitted inside the teeth) developed

1990

High-strength press ceramics improve the quality of veneers and crowns

1995

Dentine bonding agents become available in the UK, further improving the range of veneers

2000

Peroxide bleaches, activated with gas plasma light, used for teeth whitening

Source: Men's Health

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Copyright © May, 2006 - Roy Morris BDS - Karedent Limited
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