1. Dental exploration in ancient civilizations (5000 BC – 5th century AD)
Earliest Dental Awareness and Treatment
The word “caries” in the oracle bone inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty depicts the phenomenon of tooth decay, which became the earliest record of dental caries in human beings. The Sumerians recognized the principle of “toothworm” in 5000 BC, and the Egyptians used resin and metal to restore teeth.
Chinese medical book “Bing Fang-Prescriptions for Fifty two Diseases” recorded the Warring States period of dental filling method, with elm bark, cinnamon powder and other drugs to fill the caries hole, pioneering non-surgical restoration precedent.The germ of oral hygiene
“Book of Rites” recorded in the Western Zhou Dynasty that ‘at the first cockcrow, wash the face and rinse the mouth’ proving that in 1100 B.C.. Chinese people already had the habit of rinsing their mouths in the morning. Ancient Greeks used animal ashes to make tooth powder, and Arab tribes used natural twigs containing fluoride to clean their teeth.
The prototype of dental tools
Amalgam fillings were first recorded in medical books during the Han Dynasty, and the bronze dental pliers designed by Hippocrates (460 B.C.) became the prototype of modern tooth extraction instruments.
2. Medieval breakthroughs and innovations (5th-17th centuries)
Professionalization of Dentistry
In the Song Dynasty, the Imperial Medical Bureau established the “Oral and Pharyngeal Department”, which was the beginning of the official dental establishment. In the Ming Dynasty, Xue Ji wrote the world’s first dental treatise, “Kou Chi Lei Yao” (1528).
Wave of technological innovations
The Arabian physician Albucasis invented the tartar remover in the 11th century, ushering in the era of preventive dentistry. Bone toothbrush with double rows of holes unearthed from a Liao Dynasty tomb in China (9th-11th century).
Implant and Restorative Breakthroughs
Dental re-implantation was documented in the “Taiping Shenghui Fang” of the Song Dynasty, and professional veneer stores appeared in the Southern Song Dynasty. The Etruscans used gold dental crowns (2nd century A.D.), pioneering modern denture repair.
3. Establishment of modern dental system (18th century – early 20th century)
Systematic construction of disciplines
In 1728, the French doctor Fauchard, known as “the father of dentistry”, published “Le chirurgien dentiste”. The first to establish a systematic theory of dentistry, so that the knowledge of dentistry is more systematized. 1840, the world’s first dental school in the United States was founded, promoting the standardization of education. standardization.
Material and technological innovation
In 1790, dental drills were introduced; in 1896, X-rays were applied to clinical diagnosis, realizing precise treatment;
Emergence of preventive medicine
At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a breakthrough in the research of fluoride caries prevention. And in 1945, the promotion of water fluoridation technology reduced the rate of children’s dental caries by 60%.
4. Intelligent development of contemporary dentistry (mid-20th century to the present)
Digital diagnosis and treatment revolution
In 2008, China introduced chairside digital restoration system (CEREC3), realizing 3D printing instant restoration. Modern microscopic root canal treatment system can magnify the field of view by 40 times to enhance the accuracy of treatment.
Implants and Orthodontics Take a Leap Forward
Titanium implants were introduced in the 1950s, and the current implant success rate is over 98%. Today, Invisalign technology is combined with AI algorithms to achieve personalized orthodontic treatment plan design.
Multidisciplinary integration development
Modern dentistry integrates material science, bioengineering and AI technology to develop innovations such as antibacterial resins and intelligent bite analysis systems.
5. View of dental health in the course of civilization
From the word “caries” in the oracle bone inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty to the modern invisible orthodontic appliances, mankind has completed the leap from passive treatment to active prevention in 7,000 years. As stated in the “Remaining Discourse on Gezhi” of the Song Dynasty: “Teeth are the standard of the kidney and the remainder of the bone”. Dental health has always been an important yardstick for the progress of civilization. With the support of artificial intelligence and gene editing technology, the future of dentistry will continue to evolve in the direction of precision, personalization and prevention.