Antique Dental Instruments

History

• The earliest form of dentistry takes back to 7000 BCE, when the civilization of the Indus Valley was said by historians to have practiced it. Some of the earliest practices associated with dentistry include using a bow drill to cure disorders related to the teeth. Historians have also found evidence to suggest that many civilizations, including those in ancient Egypt, China, India and Japan, believed in what was known as tooth worms. This belief centered around the notion that tooth decay was caused by worms.

Considerations

• Antique dental tools resemble torture devices rather than those used in the art of dentistry. With names like the mouth gag, the masticator, dental separator and the descaling set, it's no wonder the old drawn depictions of dentists doing their job show the patient in agony. In addition, dentists in ancient times often used dental extraction to "cure" a variety of illnesses. They believed that removing a tooth could help cure other illnesses.

Identification

• Most antique dental instruments were made of bone or ivory and metal. The tongue scraper, for example, was made completely of ivory, while other metal instruments featured handles made from ivory or from bone. Some 19th century dental tools were made of tortoise shell, like the tongue scraper, for example. In addition, some mirrors were also sometimes made of tortoise shell.

Function

• The dental mouth gag dates back to the 16th century. The gag was used on patients who had lockjaw and could not be fed. Tongue scrapers were used to clean the tongue, much like they are today, but back then, they were made of entirely different materials. The dental separator was used to separate teeth. It looked a lot like a hacksaw, as it also had a blade on it. The French masticator was designed to help the elderly chew their food.

Potential

• Had it not been for antique dental instruments and beliefs of ancient times, we would not have the technology advanced techniques for dentistry that we have today. Trial and error allowed those who practiced dentistry to learn what worked and what did not. Eventually dentists realized that simply extracting teeth was not the cure-all for every illness. Though the materials have changed over the years, some of the instruments of ancient times are still used today. Tongue scrapers are now made of plastic but still serve the same purpose, as do descaling sets, forceps and dental mirrors.