Ancient Use of Dentistry

History of Egyptian Dentistry

Concept of aligning teeth with fixed appliances dates
back to 1000 BC.
Archaeologists have discovered several mummies
with simple metal bands wrapped around individual
teeth, indicating that the ancient Egyptians knew that
pressure could be used to move teeth over a period of
time.
In Ancient Egypt physician Hesy-Re from the Third
Dynasty recognised dentistry as a surgical specialty.

Dental work on a mummy from ancient

Egypt that archaeologists have dated to
2000 BCE. The work shows intricate
gold work around the teeth.

Hesy-re performing dental

work on a patient.

History of Greek/Roman Dentistry

Hippocrates: (Greek)
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates published his
ideas regarding the correction of tooth irregularities.
He established a medical tradition based on facts. This
collected information was gathered into a text known as the
Corpus Hippocraticum.
He devoted 32 paragraphs to the dentition. He appreciated
the importance of teeth.
He accurately described the technique for reducing a
fracture of the jaw and also for replacing a dislocated
mandible. He was familiar with extraction forceps for this
is mentioned in one of his writings.

Aristotle: (Greek)
First writer who studied the teeth in a broad manner.
He may be regarded as the first comparative dental anatomist
because, of his famous work entitled (On the Parts of Animals
He noted that there were marked differences between human
teeth and those of animals and, in fact, differences between the
different species of animals.
He also stated figs and soft sweets produce decay.

Aulius Cornelius Celsus: (Roman)

Recommended extracting deciduous teeth to
allow the eruption of the permanent dentition
in his medical encyclopedia De Medicina.
First to record the use of finger pressure for the
treatment of incorrectly positioned teeth and
said that this finger pressure should be applied
to new teeth every day to ensure correct tooth
alignment.
The Romans were not especially gifted in their
dental art. They borrowed their medicine from
the Greeks and restorative dentistry from the
Etruscans.

History of Indian Dentistry

Dentistry was held to be the divine origin in India.
India was the first to develop technology to drill teeth and
remove decay.
Ayurvedic literature contains many interesting observations on
dental diseases and their treatment.
Sushruta is universally acknowledged to be the first dental
anatomist of the world, and described treatments of diseases of
the oral cavity and emphasized the importance of tongue
hygiene.

Sushruta:- The
ancient Indian sage.

History of Chinese Dentistry

The Chinese were known to have treated dental ills with knife,
cautery, and acupuncture, a technique whereby they punctured
different areas of the body with a needle.
There is no evidence of mechanical dentistry at that time, 2700
B.C., however. Marco Polo stated that the Chinese did cover
teeth with thin gold leafs only as decorations.
How ever, Ancient China is responsible for contributing much
to the modern world.
Began treating toothaches with arsenic about A.D. 1000. They
are also noted for their development of using silver amalgam
for filling teeth.

Medieval Ages
Dentistry wasnt a
profession by itself.
Performed by barbers
in streets.
Tools used: Pliers
It was held in low
regard.

Islamic Golden Age

Discovered Medicinal
drugs and powders.
First use of Clove oil.
Abu Bakr Alrazi
mentioned the teeth and
gums in his book
AlHawi.
Use of the Miswak.

Renaissance
Dentistry was still held
in low regard.
Tools used: Dental
Pelican and Dental
Forceps.
Leonardo Da Vinci
showed us the anatomy
of the skull and teeth.

Renaissance
Andreas Vesalius A
great anatomist who
counted teeth as bones.
Ambroise Par French
barber surgeon.
Pierre Fauchard
Father of Modern
Dentistry.