Section 1. Introduction to dentistry

Chapter 1. History of dentistry

Dentistry (greek: stoma — mouth, logos — teaching) is a medical discipline that studies the etiology and pathogenesis of diseases of the teeth, jaws and other organs of the oral cavity, their diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Propedeutics (greek: pro — before, pedia — train) — pre-training before starting a clinical appointment.

History of dentistry in the world

In the early Latin dialect, there was no separate word for the dental profession, since dentistry itself was considered part of General medical practice. The encyclopedist Celsius (fig. 1.1) in his books described in detail the surgical instruments of his time including forceps and the tool «tenaculum» designed to remove teeth (fig. 1.2).

Fig. 1.1. Celsius

Fig. 1.2. Bronze forceps, an ancient Roman dentist's tool. Nemzeti Museum, Budapest

Celsus was the author of one of the most authoritative treatises «On medicine», which served as a textbook for doctors until the late middle ages. It discussed many problems of dentistry, contained recommendations for basic oral hygiene and described the signs of various dental diseases. In addition to treating and removing teeth, ancient Roman doctors restored teeth with gold crowns and made bridge-like structures (fig. 1.3).

Fig. 1.3. Cornelius Celsius' treatise «On medicine»

From the content of the Talmud, it can be concluded that the ancient Jews were also known for artificial teeth and gold crowns. They were mostly used by women, apparently for cosmetic purposes. In addition, this book contains references to preventive actions to prevent dental diseases, the harm and benefits of certain types of food. The results of archaeological excavations in the Middle East give reason to believe that among the Phoenicians there were craftsmen who carried out complex dental restorations at that time. The main method of treatment of dental ailments in Ancient Egypt was tooth extraction. The Egyptians also practiced drilling the jawbones to reduce the pressure of the purulent fluid that accumulates near the inflamed tooth (fig. 1.4).

Fig. 1.4. Holes in the jaw drilled to reduce the pressure of exudate accumulating at the root of the tooth. Museum of Man, Paris

During the early middle Ages, Europe was content with medical practice, which was carried out by Jewish and Muslim doctors, and any significant dental achievements this period was not marked.

The history of dentistry as a medical specialty dates back to the late 17th – early 18th centuries. And it is connected, first of all, with the works of the outstanding French doctor Pierre Fauchard (fig. 1.5). In 1728, in Paris, his scientific work «The Surgeon Dentist, or Treatise on the Teeth» was published, which summarized all the previous experience of dentistry and laid the scientific foundations of therapeutic, surgical, orthopedic dentistry and orthodontics. He was the first to apply dental fillings using lead foil and developed the principles of surgical treatment of wounds including the maxillofacial area.

Fig. 1.5. Pierre Fauchard

In 1871, James B. Morrison patented the first industrially produced «foot dental engine», which revolutionized practical dentistry by being inexpensive and able to develop sufficient speed for high-quality preparation of enamel and dentin. And in 1876, the company «S.S. White» began mass production of an improved version of the Morrison drill with a flexible sleeve.

The same company began to produce tips and drill bits. The development of artificial gold crowns, filling teeth with silver amalgam, the use of arsenic acid to necrotize the pulp and the invention of the drill finally approved the specialty «dentistry». And finally, in 1957, John Bardeen introduced the high-speed turbine tip, which reached speed of up to 300.000 revolutions per minute, was a huge commercial success, and marked the beginning of a new era of high-speed dentistry (fig. 1.6).

Fig. 1.6. One of the first dental units

History of dentistry in Russia

In the old Russian state, the treatment of patients was carried out by folk healers — «lechtsy», who received knowledge in family schools. It was only in 1620, that the Apothecary's order was created, which became the highest body of medical management. Until the 17^th century, dentistry in Russia was not controlled by the state. Folk healers of the teeth widely used drugs of plant origin, strengthened the teeth by a wire, conducted the removal of teeth. For the first time, the right to practice dentistry in Russia was granted to the Frenchman Francois Dubrel in 1710. In the same year, the title of «dentist» was introduced in Russia. Dental skills were taught more widely in the course of surgery. And in 1810, a law was passed that granted the right to practice medicine only to those who received a diploma of «dental doctor». In 1829, women also received the right to take the exam for the title of dental doctor. The first female dentist was Maria Nazon, a native of Warsaw, who graduated from the Moscow Medical and Surgical Academy.

In the Russian special literature of the late 18th – early 19th centuries, dental diseases and their treatment were covered in manuals on surgery. So, in the «Art of midwifer» (1784–1786), N.M. Maksimovich-Ambodik, the first Russian physician who received the title of Professor of obstetrics, described in detail the diseases of the oral cavity during pregnancy: pulpitis, gum disease, thrush (i.e., stomatitis), defects in the frenulum of the tongue. He was the first to suggest surgical treatment for «harelip» (cleft lip).