When it comes to the history of dentistry, there are so many inventions that have led to the most incredible dental advancements over time. Many of which we still actively use today in our own oral health routines.
Dr. Casey knows that where dentistry is today is due to so many moments of innovation along the way. Understanding the history of dentistry can also help parents appreciate the level of dental technology and care that we benefit from now.
Here are some of her favorite dental inventions and the individuals who helped develop these industry-altering technologies.
William Addis was the first individual to successfully mass-produce toothbrushes, starting back in Clerkenwald, England in 1780. While Addis was not the first to invent the toothbrush, he was the first to mass-produce them for public consumption and use.
In the era between 1780 and about 1885, many companies around America began mass-producing toothbrushes. In fact, between 1963 and 1998 over 3,000 patents had been filed just for toothbrushes. It is no wonder we still have so many manual or electric toothbrushes to pick from in our stores today.
Nicolas Dubois de Chémant invented teeth from porcelain in 1789 in Paris, France! This invention assisted the dental community in eliminating their reliance on human, animal, and carved ivory as replacements for teeth in professional dentistry.
French dentist, Dubois de Chémant teamed up with Alexis Duchteau, a Parisian apothecary, to develop these one-piece dentures. After Duchteau lost interest in the invention, Dubois de Chémant persevered with his passion for perfecting the work on his own.
In 1789, Dubois de Chémant finally presented his finished invention to the Académie des Sciences and the faculty of medicine of Paris University, and thus received a royal patent from Louis XVI.
After this, Duchteau claimed that Dubois de Chémant had stolen his invention, thus asking for the patent to be revoked. However, despite his requests, the courts upheld the validity of Dubois de Chémant's patent.
After fleeing the French Revolution and traveling to England in 1792, Dubois de Chémant applied for and received a 14-year English patent for the exclusive manufacture of "mineral paste dentures," which he coined "incorruptibles.” This term became synonymous with porcelain teeth and remained so for many years after.
John Greenwood invented the dental foot engine in 1790 in the United States with the intention of increasing the rotation of a dental drill while simultaneously freeing up the dentist's hands.
It also significantly improves the efficiency and speed with which diseased material is able to be removed from a patient’s tooth.
Greenwood was actually known as one of George Washington's dentists as well. Though he is most well known for pioneering the use of foot power drills in dentistry.
It wasn't until the 1871 invention of the foot-treadle engine design by James Beall Morrison, which was manufactured commercially, that the foot-treadle dental engine became the standard for use in operative dentistry.
Josiah Flagg invented the first dental chair in 1790 in Boston, Massachusetts. This chair was designed specifically to maximize the dentist's access and convenience during their dental procedures. It also aims to enhance the patient’s comfort and increase the overall efficiency of each dental appointment.
This invention was the first chair specifically modified for dental use in the United States. Flagg had received silversmith training from Paul Revere, which he then focused on dental uses. Through these developed skills, he was able to adapt a wooden Windsor chair by attaching an adjustable headrest and an arm extension that held dental instruments.
Rudimentary but still serviceable, this original chair built by Josiah Flagg was actually used by three generations of Flagg dentists. Almost unbelievable!
Levi Spear Parmly invented dental floss in 1815 in New Orleans, Louisiana with the purpose of cleaning food debris that remains in between teeth.
Parmly is commonly credited as being the "inventor" of modern dental floss, as he promoted flossing teeth with a piece of waxed silk thread in the early 1800’s.
The Johnson and Johnson Company of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was the first to patent dental floss in 1898. During World War II, Dr. Charles C. Bass developed the nylon floss we know today as a replacement for silk floss.
Philadelphia jeweler, Samuel Stockton White was the first to commercial manufacture porcelain teeth starting in 1825.
This increased production of porcelain-based false teeth made them much more readily available to large numbers of people in a faster, more economical manner.
White's company, S.S. White Dental Manufacturing Company established and dominated the dental supply market throughout the 19th century. It eventually went on to become the world's leading dental manufacturing company.
Horace Wells discovered the anesthetic benefits of nitrous oxide in 1844 in Connecticut. He began using it for dental extractions in his private practice.
Commonly known as "laughing gas," nitrous oxide came into general use, particularly among dentists in the United States in the 1840s as an anesthetic.
Charles Stent develops an "impression" or “modeling” compound used in making dental impressions in 1857 in England.
This modeling compound was an attempt to improve gutta-percha by adding stearine to improve plasticity and stability; as well as talc used to strengthen and texturize.
This became a common material to rely on for making impressions. Copper bands or other devices were used in the late 1800s, along with impression compounds, to make impressions for full crowns. Over the years, the formulation of impression compound has been enhanced, and it is still in common use in clinical dentistry.
C. Edmond Kells adapted the discovery of x-rays to dentistry’s needs in 1896 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This allows dentists to visualize the interior of a tooth for the very first time ever in history.
This was an adaptation and application of the x-ray, which was originally discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in Wrzburg Physical Institute, Germany, in 1895. It was used as a diagnostic dental tool and was made possible by the pioneering work of New Orleans dentist C. Edmond Kells.
A curious and gifted inventor with more than 30 patents, Kells took the first dental x-ray of a living person in the United States in 1896. Despite wide acceptance in the medical field, X-ray machines were not commonly seen in dental offices until the 1920s.
Alfred Einhorn developed Procaine in 1905 in Germany. It was later marketed under the trade name Novocain®. Procaine is known as a highly effective and safe local anesthetic.
Before the discovery of procaine, cocaine was the most commonly used local anesthetic. Apart from being highly addictive, cocaine's toxicity raised concerns in the medical profession. With his advancement, Einhorn ushered in a new era of safer, more reliable anesthetics.
Procaine was widely used by physicians and dentists into the 1950s. The development in 1943 of lidocaine (Xylocaine®), which was even safer than procaine, saw a gradual shift. Still in use today, procaine now vies with many other local anesthetic agents currently employed; lidocaine remains the principal anesthetic in routine use in today's dental offices.
Charles S. Venable and Walter G. Stuck teamed up to adapt Vitallium, the first biocompatible implant metal, inside the body in 1936 in the United States.
The corrosion-resistant properties make it attractive for denture implants. A year after Venable and Stuck developed Vitallium, Alvin Strock inserted the first Vitallium dental screw implant.
Since it was introduced, dentists have come to prefer Vitallium to create superior function, fit, and esthetics for premium partial dentures.
Rafael Bowen invented Bis-GMA, which is the thermostat resin complex that is currently used in modern composite resin restorative materials. It was invented in 1962 at the National Bureau of Standards in Maryland.
Rafael Bowen's synthesis of this epoxy resin marked the first successful production of a composite resin for filling teeth since acrylic acid was discovered in 1843, over a century prior.
Bowen's product demonstrated more stable properties and far better cosmetic qualities than previous options. Since Bis-GMA could be developed to resemble the color of natural human teeth, it proved especially useful for fillings in anterior teeth.
It has been estimated that combined dentists have used Bis-GMA in over 50 million restorations just between 1962 and today. It continues to be used as a component in most modern composite resin restorative materials.
Zia Chishti invented Invisalign braces in 1997 in the United States. The idea was to create a transparent, removable, and moldable set of braces to straighten teeth.
Rather than a single pair of braces that are repeatedly adjusted, Invisalign braces, a series of clear aligners created by a computer, are worn in succession. Unlike regular braces, Invisalign braces can be easily removed for teeth cleaning, eating, and sports activities.
Chishti and his business partner, Kelsey Wirth, founded Align Technology in 1997 to develop and manufacture Invisalign braces. In May 2000, Invisalign braces became available to the public for the first time.
There are so many Dental Inventions that have changed history and how we care for our teeth today. These are just a few of the ones that have given us the Oral Health advantages that we benefit from these days. If you are interested in learning more about the history of Dentistry and the brilliant minds that have gotten us here today, check out Dr. Casey’s Oral Health blog articles.
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