The History Of Braces

For years braces dominated the dentistry world, offering a solution to straighten your teeth. While these are still used, Invisalign has risen in popularity in recent years, offering a custom-made, discreet solution to traditional braces.

Join Acorn Dental Health as we explore the journey that has occurred to reach this point in dentistry.

Ancient Solutions

For a long time, people simply didn’t care or didn’t have the resources for proper dentistry. However, some ancient examples of things resembling braces have been found. Possible braces constructed from animal skin have been found attached to teeth in a similar way to which a modern dentist might attach wire braces.

The first recorded attempt at straightening teem occurred in Roman times, with Aulus Cornelius Celsus attempting to straighten teeth with the force of his own hands. Apart from this, there was not much advancement in the world of dentistry until the early 18th century.

Fauchard & Bourdet

In the 18th century, two books were released about modern dentistry. Fauchard wrote about ways to straighten teeth, discovering a device he called a ‘Bandeu’ which could help. Bourdet was the dentist of the King of France and expanded on the Bandeu. He improved the device and made the discovery that the rear wisdom teeth must be removed to avoid crowding.

The First ‘Modern’ Braces

The first modern braces for teeth were invented by Christopher-Francois Delabarre in 1819, with Dr. Edward Maynard adding elastics in 1843 to improve jaw alignment. E.J. Tucker improved the designs a few years later to make them more comfortable for patients. Dr. S.C Barnum then created the modern dental dam in 1864, which is still used today to protect the gums when work is being done.

20th Century Braces

Braces continued to develop in the 20th century, becoming less painful and being made of more ideal materials. In the 1970s, dental adhesive and stainless steel changed the dental game, making braces less painful and also improving the effects.

Invisalign

While it might seem like an innovative new development cropping up in the last few years, it was actually created in 1997 by somebody with no dental background. Zia Chishti, a Stanford University graduate, took the concept of the plastic retainer and figured out how to use it to straighten teeth using 3D imaging software to create custom aligners that would slowly transform the wearer’s mouth.

Your Local Dental Practice In Hedge End, Southampton

Now that you’ve heard about the wonderful world of braces, Acorn Dental Health can offer you a range of modern dental treatments. This includes orthodontic treatments, consisting of ceramic, metal, invisible, lingual or fixed braces.

If you’re not a fan of traditional braces, consider Invisalign. This method utilises virtually invisible aligners to straighten your teeth discreetly. They are made using advanced 3D imaging technology to create custom solutions that fit specifically to your mouth.

If you’d like to find out more about how we can help, get in touch with Acorn Dental Health today.