Prosthetics, periodontal therapy and conservative dentistry in the eighteenth century: archeological findings from Grand Sacconex, Geneva, Switzerland.

Abstract

There are only few archaeological findings on therapeutic measures dating to the early times of scientific dentistry. The remains of two burials from the mid-eighteenth century permit the assessment of the spectrum of dental treatments of that time. Bridges, ivory dentures, gold ligatures for splinting as well as various metal fillings demonstrate the state-of-the-art of contemporary practical dentistry. A presentation of the findings should be of interest not only for the history of dentistry but can also supplement the written records of that time.