[Esthetic dentistry in the prehispanic world].

Abstract

The dental practices found by Spaniards in the new world in the sixteenth century were totally different from the ones done in Europe at that time. They were of two types, ornamental and curative. This paper displays the diverse types of ornamental dental practices performed in pre-Hispanic America, which have nothing to do with the concept of Odontology, as the object of these practices was to impart a type of dental aesthetics different from the classical concept of beauty. Outstanding among such practices were inlays, filing and polishing of teeth, and their pigmentation.