Dentistry is one of the oldest medical services on the planet. There is evidence of dentists extracting teeth as far back as 7000BC.For thousands of years dental treatment was rudimentary to say the least. The service basically consisted of pulling bad teeth. In many cases, this process was extremely painful. However, the pain of a rotten tooth was worse, so early dentists were kept busy despite their rudimentary methods.
However, there is evidence that some cultures had dentists who also tried to fix teeth as well as extract them. The remains of some ancient Egyptians and Greco-Romans show evidence of teeth being fixed rather than just extracted. A 4th dynasty Egyptian mummy was found with a loose tooth tied in place against a neighbouring healthy tooth. Another mummy with a maxillary bridge was found in the same area around the same time. There is also evidence that the Ancient Greeks treated gum disease, as well as ulcers and carrying out extractions.
Early Dental Instruments
Despite the fact that some forms of dentistry has been practiced for thousands of years, there are very few early examples of dental equipment. It appears that early dental work was carried out using whatever relevant equipment came to hand.
However, that slowly began to change from the 14th century onwards. Perhaps the earliest example was the dental pelican invented by the French surgeon and physician Guy de Chauliac. This gadget was basically a set of forceps designed specifically to get a good grip on a tooth, whilst holding the patient’s mouth open. They were replaced later by the dental key, and later, in the 20th century, by modern forceps.
Early Dental Textbooks
Dentistry was practiced by physicians and other professionals, even by barbers. However, in 1530 the first textbook that dealt solely with dentistry was published it was called Artzney Buchlein. The first English book on the subject was written in 1685. It was called Operator for the Teeth and was written by Charles Allen.
Post Middle Ages Dentistry
Despite the fact that dental instruments and text books were available dentistry did not progress much until the 17th century. Once again, a French physician led the way. Pierre Fauchard is without a doubt the father of modern dentistry. His work laid the foundation for today’s dental prosthetics. He also invented tools and instruments, such as dental needle nosed pliers, from which many modern dental instruments have evolved.
Modern Dentistry
Modern dental techniques spread throughout the world from this point on. There are still differences in the way dentistry is practiced, but the basic methods are the same across the world.
However, that does not mean that there are not still dental pioneers working in the field. The dentists East Hull dental clinic employ are drawn from across the world. At the clinic, they learn from each other’s dental experience and different ways of approaching dental problems. For their patients this is great because it means that they get the best treatment available and can do so on the NHS rather than having to pay private dental rates.
