2698 BC
First record of dental care in writings of Chinese emperor Huang Ti. Ancient Chinese used acupuncture to relieve toothache and gum pain
2500BC
Egyptian mummy with two gold molars held together by strands of gold wire. Later, Egyptians extracted the of slaves for use by pharaohs (attached by gold wire)
10AD
Romans provide first reference to filling teeth
1187
Arabian-Hebrew philosopher Maimonides refers to gold teeth crowns, used to hide hideous-looking decayed teeth
1600s
Britain’s upper classes were beginning to try out false teeth, often made from hippo tusk
1700s
English ‘resurrectionists’ made a tidy sum claiming teeth from the dead – to be used for false teeth
1844
Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) becomes widely available to relieve dental pain
1851
Chloroform first used to relieve dental pain
1873
First gold-banded crown – later enhanced by the development of cements for fixation purposes
1878
First porcelain crown attached through a threaded dowel
1885
Local anaesthetics become accepted practice
1890
American dentist Edward H Angle develops the principles of modern orthodontics
1900s
Angle’s braces become available for teeth straightening
1930s
Italians develop first false teeth implants – later improved by the Swedes
1960s
Veneers become widely available in the US
1975
Blue light used to set cement, improving quality of veneers and crowns
1980
Transparent braces first become available in US
1980s
Computer technology developed to improve the precision of all forms of cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics
1985
Linear braces (fitted inside the teeth) developed
1990
High-strength press ceramics improve the quality of veneers and crowns
1995
Dentine bonding agents become available in the UK, further improving the range of
2000
Peroxide bleaches, activated with gas plasma light, used for teeth whitening
Source: Men’s Health