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Pre-Hispanic Dentists knew techniques similar to the present day Mexico

Submitted by coldrum on Thursday, 25 September 2008  Page Views: 2589

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Country: Mexico Some methods used by dentists in the present day were performed by Prehispanic peoples to modify their teeth. This was pointed out by Socorro Ochoa Caceres, dental specialist at Hospital del Niño Poblano (Puebla Children Hospital)

Her her lecture "Dental Filing: Esthetic and Therapeutic Purposes", was presented at the 10th International Congress Health Disease: From Prehistory to 21st Century, taking place at the Sahagun Auditorium, organized by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

Socorro Ochoa mentioned that based on comparative documented studies regarding Prehispanic ancient teeth alteration techniques, she confirmed that some contemporary techniques have this fundament.

“Dentists use a technique named streeping or dental filing, performed under the same principles applied centuries ago; using them, Prehispanic dentists avoided tooth position loss and disarray” she stated.

Dental filing method is based on the insertion of files between teeth to devastate them and create the space needed to fasten orthodontic devises to the mouth.

Among ancient indigenous peoples, dental filing was linked to esthetic and therapeutic practices. Their knowledge about dental anatomy was extraordinary, and they could correct disarrayed teeth without affecting roots.

Stones such as jadeite, obsidian and flint, as well as leather, wood and vegetal fibers were used to modify teeth and have precious stones fixed. Having dental procedures was only allowed to hierarchs and elites.

In our days, teeth modifications are still performed in Angola, Panama, Venezuela and Brazil. The 10th International Congress Health and Disease activities develop from September 1st to 5th 2008, at the national Museum of Anthropology. Free admission.

Source: INAH
Contributor Bio for coldrum: Based in Milkyway, contributing since 2002. Favourite site: Avebury.

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"Pre-Hispanic Dentists knew techniques similar to the present day" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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Ancient Gem-Studded Teeth Show Skill of Early Dentists by coldrum on Wednesday, 17 June 2009
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Ancient Gem-Studded Teeth Show Skill of Early Dentists

The glittering "grills" of some hip-hop stars aren't exactly unprecedented. Sophisticated dentistry allowed Native Americans to add bling to their teeth as far back as 2,500 years ago, a new study says.

Ancient peoples of southern North America went to "dentists"—among the earliest known—to beautify their chompers with notches, grooves, and semiprecious gems, according to a recent analysis of thousands of teeth examined from collections in Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (such as the skull above, found in Chiapas, Mexico).

Scientists don't know the origin of most of the teeth in the collections, which belonged to people living throughout the region, called Mesoamerica, before the Spanish conquests of the 1500s.

But it's clear that people—mostly men—from nearly all walks of life opted for the look, noted José Concepción Jiménez, an anthropologist at the institute, which recently announced the findings.

"They were not marks of social class" but instead meant for pure decoration, he commented in an e-mail interview conducted in Spanish.

In fact, the royals of the day—such as the Red Queen, a Maya mummy found in a temple at Palenque in what is now Mexico—don't have teeth decorations, Jiménez said.

Other evidence of early Mesoamerican dentistry—including a person who had received a ceremonial denture—has also been found.

Knowledgeable Dentists

The early dentists used a drill-like device with a hard stone such as obsidian, which is capable of puncturing bone.

"It's possible some type of [herb based] anesthetic was applied prior to drilling to blunt any pain," Jiménez said.

The ornamental stones—including jade—were attached with an adhesive made out of natural resins, such as plant sap, which was mixed with other chemicals and crushed bones, Jiménez said.

The dentists likely had a sophisticated knowledge of tooth anatomy, Jiménez added. For example, they knew how to drill into teeth without hitting the pulp inside, he said.

"They didn't want to generate an infection or provoke the loss of a tooth or break a tooth."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/05/090518-jeweled-teeth-picture.html
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