Wood, ivory, bone – dentures have been crafted from some pretty strange materials over the years. Though the first indications of dentures being used to replace missing teeth date back to 700 B.C., the modern version most are familiar with today wouldn’t become prominent until the 20th century!
If you’re curious about what sorts of strange dental contraptions filled this gap, keep reading. This is a look at a few noteworthy examples from history and how they compare to your dentist’s dentures.
The First Dentures
Historians credit the first attempt at dentures to the Etruscans of Northern Italy. As a brief refresher, know that before the empire of Rome, it was the Etruscans who occupied most of what’s now modern Italy. This great civilization used gold wire to tie human or animal teeth together as a dental replacement.
George Washington’s Ivory Whites
You might have heard that George Washington wore a pair of wooden dentures. This isn’t true – though wooden dentures from the 16th century have been found in Japan. America’s first president actually wore dentures that had a mix of human, horse, and donkey teeth. And get this – the plate was crafted out of hippopotamus ivory, which was and still is very expensive!
“Waterloo Teeth”
The use of human teeth for dentures has already been mentioned a couple of times, but as sugar consumption increased drastically in Britain during the 1800’s, people became disturbingly desperate for replacements.
Executed criminals and the destitute had plenty of teeth to “offer,” as did the dead on the battlefield. Among the wealthier classes, wearing dentures sourced from the Battle of Waterloo was particularly fashionable (hence the unfortunate name “Waterloo Teeth”).
The New and Much Improved
Fortunately, today’s dentures are made from plain ‘ol acrylic resin, ceramic, and porcelain. They stand against the test of time much better than these historic solutions, and when cleaned regularly, won’t leave a bad smell in your mouth. Plus, since they don’t involve expensive materials like ivory or teeth from a most likely haunted battlefield, modern dentures are more accessible than ever!
While some crafting decisions were…questionable, overall, it’s a good thing the dentists of the past experimented with so many different ways of making replacement teeth. Without their trial and error, dentures wouldn’t be the reliable restoration they are today.
About the Practice
Dr. Brendan Dolan and Dr. Riley Gionfriddo are specially interested in dental restorations like dentures and dental implants, and have completed advanced training in a number of related techniques. They’re the type of dentists who will get to know you and your smile, so you can expect a quality, personalized set of dentures molded to fit in your mouth as comfortably as possible. To contact Dr. Dolan and Dr. Gionfriddo’s office, call 860-529-2000.