People have wanted perfect teeth all throughout recorded history. It wasn’t particularly easy for people to keep perfect oral hygiene thousands of years ago, but they tried. Archeologists believe dentures existed as long ago as the 7th century BC when Etruscans used animal teeth or human teeth and gold bands to replace their missing teeth. The history of orthodontics extends even further back, though we doubt braces in Springfield, MO, existed during that time. No, braces in Springfield, MO, didn’t exist, but braces or something like them existed as long ago as 10,000 BCE in Egypt.
Related Post: Orthodontics: Signs You May Need Braces
Braces in Egypt
No one knows exactly when Egyptian braces were in vogue. Archeologists have, however, found plenty of mummified evidence that at one point there existed primitive versions of the very braces in Springfield, MO, your friends wear today. The Egyptians created a cord from animal intestines and wrapped these around teeth. Just like the braces of today, these cords used pressure to keep teeth in place. Only, the Egyptians didn’t appear to do this for the living, rather they put braces in place to keep teeth set for the afterlife.
Braces in Rome
Written records detail a Roman by the name of Aulus Cornelius Celsus who pressed his hand against patients’ teeth. Though not scientifically verifiable, the records stated that Celsus’ efforts worked to some degree. Archeologists have also found gold wires wrapped around teeth in a similar pattern to what you might find with braces in Springfield, MO.
Related Post: Dr. Harrison: How Long Will I Need My Braces?
First Modern Braces
In the mid-to-late 1870s, one French dentist wrote a book in which he proposed the concept of using devices similar to mouth guards to keep teeth in their intended positions. Another French dentist at the time wrote about the need to pull teeth due to overcrowding. A century later, dentists began creating and applying the earliest forms of modern braces. By the 1860s modern dental dams existed as well. After a few tweaks over the next 150 years, we have today’s braces.
Braces in Springfield, MO
Maybe we didn’t invent modern braces, but Parkcrest Dental Group works each day at perfecting braces in Springfield, MO. We love to see the results of proper orthodontics at work, and we want to help you achieve the smile of your dreams. If you wish to perfect your smile, contact Parkcrest Dental Group. If you want a fantastic, helpful orthodontist in Springfield, MO, look no further. We look forward to seeing you.
