DEN 013: Perspective in Dentistry

Flashcards covering key figures, publications, and innovations in early dentistry (17th–19th centuries).

Who is known as the father of modern dentistry?

Pierre Fauchard

What is the title of Fauchard's monumental 1723 work?

Le Chirurgien Dentiste (The Surgeon Dentist)

By what time had dentistry begun to emerge as a discipline in its own right?

By the early 18th century (late 17th to early 18th transition)

What dental treatment did Fauchard introduce for cavities?

Dental fillings

Which acid did Fauchard identify as responsible for dental decay?

Tartaric acid (a sugar-derived acid)

What field did Fauchard pioneer besides fillings?

Dental prosthesis and replacement of lost teeth

What substitutes did Fauchard propose for missing teeth?

Carved blocks of ivory or bone

What was the earliest material used for dental braces?

Gold

How were braces fastened in Fauchard's approach?

Waxed linen or silk threads

What did Fauchard's 1728 publication include?

Basic oral anatomy, function, dental construction, and restorative techniques

Who was Claude Mouton?

A Paris surgeon-dentist; pioneer of gold crowns and early prosthodontics

How did Mouton address cosmetics for anterior teeth?

Suggested a layer of enamel over gold to improve appearance

What is the 1746 publication by Claude Mouton about?

Essay d'odontotechnie; introduced gold crowns and posts retained in the root canal; first clasp for artificial teeth

What dental feature did Mouton introduce to retain crowns?

Gold crown and post retained in the root canal; first clasp for artificial teeth

What is Pfaff's 1756 work and its significance?

Abhandlung von den Zähnen des menschlichen Körpers; first dentistry textbook in Germany

What topics did Pfaff's book cover?

Anatomy, physiology, pathology, and treatment of teeth

What impression method did Pfaff describe?

Beeswax impressions

What material did Pfaff use for cast models?

Plaster of Paris

What materials did Pfaff mention for artificial teeth?

Silver and copper

What did Pfaff say about roots in primary teeth?

Denied the presence of roots in primary teeth

Who was the earliest medically trained dentist to practice in America?

John Baker

When did Paul Revere advertise his dental services?

1768–1775

What forensic event is Revere associated with in 1776?

Identified the dental bridge he built for Dr. Joseph Warren to verify his death

What is the myth about Revere and Washington's teeth?

He did not make Washington's false teeth; Washington's dentures were not wood but hippopotamus tusk

Who received the first patent for porcelain teeth in 1789?

Nicolas Dubois de Chemant

What patent status did Chemant receive?

An inventor's patent granted by King Louis XVI

Who started the porcelain denture process in 1744?

Alexis Duchateau

Who designed Washington's dentures?

John Greenwood

What material were Washington's dentures carved from?

Hippopotamus tusk

What invention did John Greenwood introduce in 1790?

The first dental foot engine

What is the significance of the Windsor chair in dental history?

Josiah Flagg modified a Windsor writing chair to create the first dental chair

Who built the first mechanical dental chair and when?

James Snell, circa 1832

What is the Perkins Chair known for?

A 1855 chair with a ball-and-socket joint for clamping in any position

What did the 1859 Asks' Patent Dental Chair enable?

Tipping forward and backward of the seated patient

What capability did the 1860 Whitcomb Dental Operating Chair introduce?

Raising and lowering of the seated patient

What feature did the 1868 Morrison chair introduce?

A mechanism to tilt the patient in any direction

What height capability did the Morrison chair achieve in 1872?

Vertical range of 27 inches