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Category Archives: History
Orthodontics Through Time
What is the history of orthodontics through time?
Did you know that orthodontics is one of the oldest branches of dentistry? No matter how much it sounds like a modern sub-domain of dentistry, it has existed for a long time. Even the ancient Egyptians pursued dental techniques to perfect their smiles. By using a variety of techniques and devices, the branch of dentistry developed gradually and has become one of the most sophisticated and widespread practices across the world.
As poorly aligned jaws and teeth have also been a problem for our ability to speak and chew, it is not surprising why ancient Greeks and Egyptians started studying orthodontics thousand years ago.
Ancient Orthodontics
This might sound bizarre that many archaeologists and explorers have found de-shaped and crooked teeth in debris, and humans remained 50,000 years ago. The American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics have also mentioned this fact in numerous studies. Using braces to fix misaligned teeth is one of the common orthodontic treatments nowadays.
Archeologists found something similar in many mummies. The mummies wore crude and solid metal bands around their teeth. Many archeologists believed that Egyptians used catguts to tie these bands to apply pressure to correct the malpositioned teeth.
Egyptians were not the only people who used various orthodontic treatments to enhance their aesthetics. The ancient Romans, Greeks, and Etruscans practiced orthodontia for various purposes. David Evans mentioned a gold band that Etruscans used on women to correct the alignment of their teeth after their death. Ancient Greek physicians used something very similar to this gold band when treating crooked teeth. Hippocrates, one of the most popular Greek physicians, also described several teeth irregularities in his books in 400 B.C.
Celsus, a Roman writer, recommended pushing newly emerging tooth with fingers to bring it to its correct position in 400 B.C. Some other Roman people from medicine industry named Elder and Pliny advised filing teeth to size to correct position.
Orthodontics in the 17th and 18th Centuries
17th century marks the beginning of dental impression. Matthaeus Gottfried became the first person to use waxy material to take a tooth impression. Philip Pfaff, in 1756, took a dental impression using the plaster of Paris. Similar to these, many other doctors and physicians made discoveries and experimented different orthodontic treatments to stall the progress in 17 century.
The 18th century experienced a huge surge of development in orthodontics. Pierre Fauchard is a pioneer of dentistry after he invented the bandeau (a dental appliance). The horse-shaped tool comprised of metal with spaced holes to fit around the tooth. The bandeau proved useful to correct tooth alignment. Fauchard also used some forceps specially designed to operate. He named this step of forceps “Pelican”. It could forcibly realign teeth.
Christophe-Francois later in 18th century used swelling threads and woods wedges to separate overcrowded teeth.
Orthodontics in the 19th Century
Dentists and physicians from the United States made some significant contributions to the field of orthodontics in the 19th century. J.S Gunnella, in 1922, invented a unique occipital anchorage, which is a modernized form of metal headgear. The device proved helpful as it gently exerted pressure on the teeth when fastening to the jaws.
Later, Chapin A Harris published a classic and informative book called “The Dental Art” on orthodontics. The book outlines some of the important practices in dentistry, including dental bites and soldering knobs. Charles Goodyear invented a functional vulcanized rubber that soon became a potential device in orthodontic treatments.
Development in Orthodontics in the 20th Century
The history of orthodontics is not complete without mentioning the contributions of Edward Hartley Angle. He is the pioneer of modern Orthodontics. Many of his achievements are part of the Journal of Advanced Oral Research. Edward identified and highlighted the properties of main orthodontic issues, including teeth misalignment and malocclusion. Apart from just identifying, Edward tried his best to address these dental problems by using some effective orthodontic appliances.
Some More Advances in Orthodontics
Early in the 1970s, orthodontists started anchoring brackets to misaligned teeth. Initially, they started with winding wires around the teeth. Later on, several dental adhesives were invented that could easily stick braces to the teeth.
Meanwhile, orthodontists replaced gold and silver brackets and wires with stainless steel due to its durability and manipulability. Moreover, stainless steel wires reduced the cost of braces significantly. In 1970, lingual braces first hit mainstream popularity, resolving the aesthetic concerns of people.
Orthodontics Today
With all technological advancements, orthodontics has become a separate domain in dentistry, especially in the last two decades. From digital X-rays to 3D dental imaging, the technology has taken orthodontic treatment to the next level. With the help of digital devices, orthodontists now can have more detailed and insightful look at tooth structure.
However, remember that the success of your orthodontic treatment depends on the dental services you choose. Manhattan Family Orthodontics, for example, is one of the best dental care services. The competent orthodontists use advanced technologies such as digital imaging, robotic wire, and digital scanners to make orthodontic treatments less painful and comfortable. The dental services offer high-quality metal, ceramic, and lingual braces. If you do not want something less conspicuous, you can opt for Invisalign.
Modern Family Orthodontist
Manhattan Family Orthodontics helps you restore your smile and self-confidence by offering modern and advanced dental care.
You can find out more about our state-of-the-art orthodontic treatment options by calling us at (646) 760-8028 or visiting our website manhattanfamilyorthodontics.com.
History of Orthodontics
The idea of orthodontics has been around for hundreds of years and has grown into a specialty field of individual care over time. The practice of orthodontics allows a way for individuals to easily express themselves with a flash of a smile.
Without orthodontics, many people would feel self-conscious and potentially embarrassed about their misaligned teeth, ultimately causing an epidemic of negativity in the world. With braces, people are able to feel more confident in their own bodies. We can only thank our history for the optimal growth and expansion of this field. For an in-depth history of how orthodontics came to be, keep reading below for an overall description of its past and present applications.
Early History
Because of archaeology and excavations of past civilizations, archaeologists have been able to determine that orthodontics can be traced all the way back to Egyptians from over 50,000 years ago. They were able to identify metal wires tied along the calcified teeth of embalmed mummies and able to infer that these were used to pull their teeth into a more accepted positioning.
More recently but still in human’s early history, both ancient Romans and Greeks have recorded documents about oral and dental irregularities throughout journals in 400 B.C. Throughout these journals, there have been evidence describing how wires and oral care was used to strengthen and straighten individuals’ teeth. Using notes and building upon previous practices, orthodontics was able to improve throughout time.
20th Century Orthodontics
It was not until the 1900’s that orthodontics became a separate entity of oral care. A man named Edward Angle began this subgroup and was the founder of the American Association of Orthodontics, which is still currently operating today. This is when the more formal idea of braces and orthodontics came to be. With aesthetic purposes in mind, the desire to have a straight smile was high in demand. This caused the industry to significantly boom and gain awareness.
Current Orthodontics
Today, tons of options are available in current orthodontics. Anybody who has grown, stable teeth that show a form of misalignment can benefit from visiting a great orthodontist and potentially receiving braces. Nowadays, many types of braces are available for all kinds of people, rather than just the old traditional metal braces that were previously pertinent.
Ceramic braces, invisible tray aligners, and lingual braces are three other, now common, kinds of braces available to patients. Thanks to the extension of time and gain of human knowledge, orthodontists have been able to perfect the practice of teeth straightening and can guarantee you have the best smile possible.
Experience the History
If you’re impressed by the history of orthodontics, come check out the current view of this practice at one of the best orthodontists in all of New York City! Here at Manhattan Family Orthodontics, we can help you identify the best course of action for your teeth and get them as straight as possible.
Come book an appointment with us for the full orthodontic experience 🙂
Manhattan Family Orthodontics
(646) 760-8028
https://manhattanfamilyorthodontics.com/
History and Types of Braces
Have you ever asked yourself what is the history and types of braces there are? After archaeological excavations of ancient civilizations, archaeologists have been able to determine that dental care was a significant factor in the lives of many throughout much of time. While straight teeth may seem like a modern concern due to aesthetic purposes in the ages of media, the purpose was not just for this reason in the past. In order to understand how orthodontics and braces can positively impact your life, you must begin with the earliest of beings. Keep reading below to understand how modern-day orthodontics evolved from ancient civilizations and past cultural uses of braces.
Egypt
Plenty of archaeological excavations have led to the identification of braces on mummified individuals. When a mummy is created, they are embalmed to preserve the body and then wrapped to maintain as much of their natural characteristics as possible. This was a popular tradition in ancient Egypt. Because of this, people have been able to determine how braces were used in their past culture. Their braces were quite unique, being metal wires wrapped around the teeth. These would be tightened and pulled into place. It is thought that braces were used to increase the aesthetics during burial of high ranking and respected individuals in order to improve how they looked to the general public. Ancient Egypt is the earliest civilization we have traced back to that used a form of braces. Thankfully, since then, our practices have become more modern.
Rome and Greece
The next advanced form of orthodontic braces seen in history was in the times of ancient Rome and Greece. These were used when the individual was alive, compared to Egyptians who used them as a burial tradition. A man named Aulus Cornelius Celsus theorized how teeth can be pressured and forced into a different oral place with pressure. This was widely discarded as a good idea because this idea was not widely accepted at the time. Once time passed, he began practicing and writing down his findings, placing palate expanders in patients’ mouths, and recording the results. People began to catch on over time, and orthodontic practices significantly grew.
Modern Orthodontics
Over time, orthodontics has greatly improved and been reformed to create comfort and convenience for the patient. Now, because of all of the advances made by ancient civilizations and our past people, we have been able to perfect the idea of braces. Braces in modern day are most commonly seen as brackets fixed to the tooth, connected by wires, that are gradually tightened every four to six weeks. Other alternatives exist, though, for people who don’t want to have metal affecting their smile. Options include ceramic braces, clear braces, and aligner tray braces. All of these are great for different cases and people depending on their lifestyle and what they’re looking to improve about their teeth. Modern braces have significantly improved since our past humans’ creation of them, and because of it, people can receive beautifully straight teeth.
Interested in Braces?
If you have teeth that are misaligned, have gaps between them, or suffer from overcrowding, braces could significantly benefit you. Thankfully, since the practice of orthodontics and idea of braces has improved over time, you’re sure to get the best treatment possible.
To ensure you receive amazing results, the best orthodontist in New York City, Manhattan Family Orthodontics, can help you out! Schedule an appointment with us today to discuss how we can improve your oral health and teeth alignment.