Chapter 1. HISTORY OF OPERATIVE DENTISTRY

AN OVERVIEW OF HISTORY OF OPERATIVE DENTISTRY

Oral diseases were common since ancient times, so people at all times tried not only to maintain oral health, but also treat disorders. The first techniques were primitive: rinsing with herb decoctions, applying various poultices.

Greco-Roman culture showed advanced general medicine as well as dental theory and practice. It was believed that tooth decay was caused by worms (fig. 1.1).

Fig. 1.1. Zahnwurm (tooth-worm), ivory, 18^th century, 4 inch high. On the left: tooth worms devouring a man; on the right: allegorical image of toothache comparable with Hell torments. Collection of the Deutsches Medizinhistorisches Museum, Ingolstadt, Germany

This theory was contested by Hippocrates (fig. 1.2), who gave one of the first descriptions of dental and gingival diseases.

Fig. 1.2. Sculpture of Hippocrates (c. 460 - c. 370 BC), Greek physician known as Father of Western Medicine

The Roman physician Celsus (1^st century BC) and Galen (2^nd century BC) paid much attention to dental disease. Celsus sawed off sharp chipped teeth. Galen tried to fill tooth decay by mixtures of different resins. When such treatment proved ineffective, the tooth was removed.

Dentistry of the Middle Ages did not make any outstanding progress. Famous French surgeon Ambroise Pare (fig. 1.3) described tooth extraction technique of that time.

Fig. 1.3. Ambroise Paré (1510-1590), famous French surgeon. Posthumous portrait by William Holl

Although in ancient times dental care was provided by doctors, in the Middle Ages dental treatment was carried out by non-medical practitioners such as barbers (fig. 1.4), bath attendants and others.

The 18 century was a turning point in the history of dentistry. The rise of trade and industry in Europe, the growing influence of the bourgeoisie in society contributed to an increased need for dental care, especially for prosthetics. Tremendous contribution was made by French surgeon Pierre Fauchard (fig. 1.5), an author of a great work The Surgeon Dentist (Le Chirurgien Dentiste, 1728) (fig. 1.6) which was the first complete scientific description of dental field.