Cosmetic Dentistry Has Improved Over Centuries

Would you believe that cosmetic dentistry has been practiced, in one form or another for thousands of years? One might go even further and ask if you knew that cosmetic dentistry may have been the cornerstone on which virtually every other kind of dentistry was founded? If you answered yes, then you have very astutely realized that it is the quest for the perfect white smile that has led the charge on dental improvements for centuries. It was the realization that a bright white smile is good in social situations that eventually lead to the invention of the toothbrush, and that lead to better breath. It was the understanding that having all of your teeth made a person more attractive, even if it was bone hammered into your jaw, that led to the creation of the first implants and eventually into a quest to save natural teeth. In fact, it could be argued that the desire to have the perfect smile has, in fact, led to every single dental advancement since the first man decided that he could help others with their teeth.

Luckily for us commercial dentistry has come a very long way, with the advancements in medical science making it safe and hygienic compared to some of the ancient practices. Take, for example, the ancient Romans, who would use toothpaste that contained urine to whiten their teeth. While this sounds disgusting, ammonia is actually a natural whitening agent, and so chances are they had some level of success in getting their teeth whitened using this method. Today of course we use a sophisticated chemical compound of carbamide peroxide to whiten teeth, with a great deal more success. This formula was invented by two dentists, Dr. Haywood and Dr. Heymann, in 1989 after serious experimentation with hydrogen peroxide based bleaching agents yielded good results (but required numerous treatments) in the early 1900’s. Thanks to the efforts of these two scientists, dental trays have become a fixture and teeth whitening is now easily available to patients everywhere.

Dentures have also been around for a very long time and may be one of the first devices invented for cosmetic dentistry. Around 700 B.C., the Etruscans started using recycled teeth, usually from people who had passed away, to create dentures for living patients. While these rotted quickly and probably smelled atrocious, the practice was successful enough to last into the 1800’s.  It wasn’t until 1937 that the first dental implant screw was invented by Alvin Strock, and we had to wait till 1952 for a Swedish doctor to discover the process of osseointegration. Dr. Brånemark had discovered that titanium had unique qualities that made it perfect for fusing with the bone, and in 1965, he took his findings to dentistry. Today using dental implants to replace teeth is a common procedure in cosmetic dentistry. With the ability to give patients teeth that look, feel, and act exactly like natural teeth, dental implant surgeries have become a very popular way for people to replace the teeth they have lost, and we owe it all to a medicine man (or woman) somewhere that realized the importance of keeping all of your teeth in place.

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