Since it works so well, you may think cosmetic dentistry is a new field of medicine. That said, people around the world have sought pretty smiles for centuries now. Aesthetic dental work has a history that goes back thousands of years – even to humanity’s early days! Given that fact, you could find yourself asking, “How far has cosmetic dentistry come?” Well, wonder no more – let your Auburn dentist explain the matter in this helpful summary.
Dental Cosmetics in the Ancient World
Cosmetic dentistry has newer qualities today, but the field itself is old. It started several thousand years ago as people devised ways to make their smiles nicer.
Take the ancient Egyptians, for instance. They were making dental crowns and dental bridges from gold as far back as 3,000 BCE. Similarly, they would often use seashells to replace teeth that fell out.
Other peoples followed in the Egyptians’ footsteps as well. For example, the ancient Etruscans made dentures from ivory and animal bones in 700 BCE. The early Romans also used their urine as toothpaste; its ammonia was useful for breaking apart tooth stains.
Pretty Smiles for Medieval (and Later) Times
Of course, cosmetic dentistry didn’t stick with the ancient world’s primitive methods. People formed new approaches as human knowledge grew over the centuries.
Some cosmetic dental advances came during the medieval era. At that time, barbers – the predecessors to dentists – often filed teeth to make them whiter. The downsides to this process were that it destroyed tooth enamel and had mixed results, so barbers gave it (and dentistry) up as time passed.
Further changes arrived just a few hundred years later. In the 1800s, early dentists began placing metal in the sockets of missing teeth. This approach didn’t work but provided valuable insights. Namely, it led to porcelain and plaster molds being used in dental work.
Cosmetic Dentistry in the 20th & 21st Centuries
What most people would view as “true” cosmetic dentistry started around the early 1900s. From then till now, dentists have made many breakthroughs leading to today’s aesthetic methods.
In the 1930s, Charles Pincus came up with one such breakthrough. He invented the first veneers while helping Hollywood types beautify their smiles. While these shells often fell off at first, dentists learned how to keep them secure by the 1980s.
Similarly, modern teeth whitening arrived in 1989. Drs. Haywood and Heymann discovered a chemical that could bleach enamel at that time. From there, they develop dental treatments that can brighten smiles by several shades at once.
Cosmetic dentistry has come a long way, and this summary doesn’t cover all the major points. Try talking to your local dentist to discover the rest of its history!
About the Practice
Auburn Dental Smiles is based in Auburn, WA. Led by Drs. Navdeep and Manpreet Dhaliwal, our practice provides patients with truly comprehensive dentistry. That means we offer preventive, cosmetic, and even restorative treatments, all tailored to your unique smile and its distinct needs. Our team is also well-equipped to handle dental emergencies and tooth replacement work. For more details or to book a visit, please reach us on our website or by phone at (253)-833-2290.
