Picture - 4000 year old Dental Work Egypt

[Ichingcarpenter]

The earliest evidence of ancient dentistry we have is an amazingly detailed dental work on a mummy from ancient Egypt that archaeologists have dated to 2000 BCE. The work shows intricate gold work around the teeth. This mummy was found with two donor teeth that had holes drilled into them. Wires were strung through the holes and then around the neighboring teeth.








http://darkerme.com/post/20634662258/metalonmetalblog-the-earliest-evidence-of

[ObaMania]

1. Woah!

That must've hurt. Shoot, just scraping from cleanings sends me through the roof.

[SamG]

2. Wondering if the patient died from...

gum infection.

My teeth are hurting now, just from seeing that!

[Little Star]

3. Ouch!

[sarge43]

4. A big problem would be keeping the teeth clean post-op

All that wire gave food particles a handy place to hide. However, the other teeth and bone look in good shape. I wonder how long s/he lived post-op. Couldn't have been very old else the teeth would been more worn. Abrasion from sand in the food was a problem. Many of the mummies have badly worn and pitted teeth.

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. Actually it looks like the lower braces I had

in 1960 as a kid except mine weren't gold but still caught a lot of food.

Orthodontics was just as advanced back then we didn't have advanced glue so the teeth were wrapped in wire.

[cachukis]

6. The first grill.

The dead teeth felt no pain. Gold lets nothing stick to it like corrosion. Since the recipient had a few years and wouldn't probably have lived many more, I'd say this practice was well thought out. Maybe got him or her a better reception and the value of that, than without.

[Cobalt-60]

7. Den-Tal!

It's simultaneously the first known bridge and grille!

[Historic NY]

8. I just had a root canal done it wasn't painfull but this mess must have been..

gold wire.

[sarge43]

9. The ancient Egyptians did use anesthetics

Probably something like laudanum, cocaine in an alcohol solution. Tricky and dangerous, but better than nothing.

[Javaman]

10. Is it safe? nt

[obxhead]

11. Elitist 1% mummy!

[Judi Lynn]

12. Absolutely makes one even wilder to know just how advanced they may have been.

Considering their architecture, artifacts discovered in tombs, it's just not a leap of faith to learn they could do things like this, either!

Thank you, so much.

I was glad to see the comment above about a method of anesthesia. God knows you'd want it for this kind of massive excavation and interior redesign.

[Broderick]

13. amazing really

The ability to get through likely plaque filled spaces from lack of floss in those days, with wire, and to hold what was likely two lost teeth due to accident is remarkable. From the enamel and the condition of the other teeth, I would say it wasn't from gum disease. I noticed the bone was thin or gone below the replacement teeth. Almost looks ground down, or as if from an accident. The two teeth with drillings might and are likely from a donor as they say. All in all, it is really advanced and rather remarkable.