Friday, September 16, 2011

Interesting facts in the history of dentures- Crystal Lake Dentist


The first dentures

Mexican denture
The first known denture (artificial tooth replacement) was found in Mexico and consisted of animal teeth (probably wolf) dating back to 2500 BC.

Etruscan fixed bridges
Etruscan fixed bridges


The Etruscans of Italy were known for using gold wire or bands to attach human and animal teeth (replacing missing natural teeth) around 700 BC.

At about 300 BC some Egyptian  mummies had tooth replacements held in place with gold or silver wire.

From this time until the end of the Renaissance, not much took place in the area of replacing missing teeth.The main treatment consisted and removing teeth, and different attempts at dental hygiene and control of bad breath.

Wooden dentures

Japanese wooden denture circa 1800's

In the 1500's in Japan the first recorded wooden dentures appeared and continued until the 1900's

Ivory dentures

Ivory and human teeth combination denture

Ivory carved denture

In the 1700',s the end of the Renaissance, dentistry began to experiment with the use of human teeth, animal teeth and carved ivory to replace missing teeth. These dentures usually did not fit well and took a long time to fashion.

Denture made of ivory with springs

Springs and gold were used to attach dentures and help hold them in the mouth.

George Washington had dentures similar to this.

George Washington's last denture
At the time of his 2nd inaugural address, Washington had only one real tooth left, and his dentures were very painful and distorted his mouth. Because of this, he gave the shortest inaugural address of all time... it was only 135 words long. This speech took only 90 seconds to deliver. George Washington never had wooden teeth.

Waterloo Teeth.

Replacement teeth were very popular during this time for the wealthy and nobility. The main source for these teeth were cadavers or poor people selling teeth for money. After the battle of Waterloo, there were many scavengers taking teeth out of dead and dying soldiers to sell to dentists. This practice was so popular that the term" Waterloo Teeth" was coined and was a symbol of pride for the wearer of these teeth. The practice of collecting teeth from soldiers continued through the American Civil War when barrels of teeth were shipped back to Europe for dentures.

Check out this short video


Vulcanite dentures

Vulcanite denture

In the early 1800's porcelain teeth became commonly available and replaced human teeth in time. Denture bases were not well fitted until the invention of  vulcanite in the 1850's. The use of vulcanite lowered the cost of a denture by two thirds over a gold base.



Acrylic dentures
Acrylic dentures


In the early 20th century, acrylic resin is used for denture base and later denture teeth. Since then full and partial dentures take advantage of new metal alloys to reduce weight and add strength.

Modern smiles

Dentures today.
In the past 70 years, new plastics, adhesives, porcelain, zirconium, dental implants, root canal treatments, impression materials, and other items have revolutionized the replacement of teeth.


Dr. Neal at Crystal Lake Dental Associates answers all of your questions about dentures and partials.

 Your Comments are welcome.





21 comments:

  1. Periodontal disease, injury and tooth decay can all cause a loss of your natural teeth. However, we can bring back the smile on your face with dentures to restore your missing teeth. With improved technology and updated materials, dentists can now make them appear more natural and more comfortable for the patient.

    There are two types of dentures: complete and partial. Complete dentures cover the patient’s entire jaw while partial dentures, with their metal framework, replace multiple missing teeth. Ask our doctors to see which type would be right for you.

    It may take some time to adjust to your dentures. Speaking and eating may feel different at first, but these regular activities will resume normally once you are accustomed to your dentures.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very true, Thanks for your comments.
    Dr. Neal

    ReplyDelete
  3. Like any history of corrective medicine apparatuses/installations, dentures too have evolved considerably in terms of its composition and structure. Those are some peculiar ones, like that of Honest Abe's.

    Randy Deaver

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I wonder what they will be doing a few centuries from now. How will they look back on our efforts?

      Dr Neal

      Delete
  5. The history of dentures is quite interesting. The material through which dentures were made are unknown to me till now. Whereas in today's world acrylic dentures are the most famous one.

    ReplyDelete
  6. thanks for that information, now I realized how far we reach in terms of dentures. If I will compare the denture of old time than nowadays I can't imagine the progress. By the way I'm planning to have dentures, does anybody has an idea about Dentistry Dentures (Full mouth) in Mexico Prices?

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for appreciating. Really means and inspires a lot to hear from you guys.I have bookmarked it and I am looking forward to reading new articles. Keep up the good work..Believe me, This is very helpful for me.

    Best Laser Clinic In Chennai

    Best Implant Clinic In Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  9. Keep up the good work , I read few posts this web site and I conceive that your blog is very interesting and has sets of fantastic information.

    Dentist in Waterloo,Ontario

    ReplyDelete

  10. This is my first t e i visit here. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment here! keep up the good work

    Edmonton Dentist

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am grateful for this blog to distribute knowledge about this significant topic. Here I found different segments and now I am going to use these new instructions with new enthusiasm.Mobile denture clinic

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for your post. To save your beautiful smile, many dentists are working in Dentalsave where you can get exciting dental discount plans in Virginia . Make your smile more beautiful as did I.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm also visiting this site regularly, this web site is really nice and the users are genuinely sharing good thoughts.dentist

    ReplyDelete
  14. Some good dental offices will also have the provision for Online Consultation, 'Live Chat' and 'Patient Feedback Forms'. Reading 'Patient Testimonials' either available in their websites or on Google is a very useful tool in assessing the quality of dental service and reputation of the dentist. Dubai Dentist

    ReplyDelete
  15. You can also ask if the clinic is a licensed one. One of the things you are probably concerned about is the cost of dental services they provide. You can also include this in your questions. Award winning Implant Dentist


    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm glad I found this web site, I couldn't find any knowledge on this matter prior to.Also operate a site and if you are ever interested in doing some visitor writing for me if possible feel free to let me know, im always look for people to check out my web site. Invisalign Corby

    ReplyDelete
  17. Patients in a variety of medical facilities have daily interaction with nursing assistants. In most instances patients and assistants build a strong friendship due to the constant contact. Learning how to perform job duties can be done through online nursing assistant training programs. cna online classes ca

    ReplyDelete
  18. Offering a vast selection of Amino Acids, Minerals, Women's Health products, Weight Loss products, Beauty products, Energy & Endurance products, and more means that you can live a better life. what fast food is best for diabetics

    ReplyDelete
  19. As image acquiring and broadcasting solutions are applied in e-health, it opens up multiple opportunities for its participants. jersey mikes for diabetic

    ReplyDelete

About Me

My photo
Born in the Midwest. Married with 6 children and 3 grandchildren. Attended Maine West High School, Harper Jr College, Northern Illinois University, the University of Illinois College of Dentistry. Practice in Crystal Lake, Illinois.