Braces have been around for quite a long time, originating as far back as BC. Of course the braces of the stone age were nothing compared to the technology we have available today.
Braces have been around for quite a long time, originating as far back as BC. Of course the braces of the stone age were nothing compared to the technology we have available today. Braces have been an important part of oral hygiene and making sure that teeth stay healthy that even Aristotle wrote about braces and looking for a way to straighten teeth back in his day. But modern orthodontics wasn’t recognized as an official science until as long as the late 1880s!
The braces that we know today were not invented by one individual. The complex history of the orthodontic science was contributed to by many different orthodontists over the years and all of them together helped to create what we call braces. The history of modern braces started with a book called “The Surgeon Dentist,” published in 1728. This book contained a whole chapter on the different ways of straightening teeth. Though these methods would not have been considered to be braces, they were the foundations for the development of the technology of straightening teeth. Another book published in 1957 and titled “The Dentist’s Art” is also considered a great beginning to the world of tooth alignment by oral appliance. These were the first books to give a worthy overview of the new science of orthodontics.
There is some contention however of who deserves the title of the inventor of the orthodontic science. There are two men whom historians debate over which one deserves the title. The first man, Norman W. Kingsley, wrote the book “Treatise on Oral Deformities,” in 1880. This book greatly influenced the science of orthodontics. The second man, named J.N. Farrar wrote two books which were a set titled “A Treatise on the Irregularities of the Teeth and Their Corrections.” Farrar was noted for his talent in developing appliances for the teeth. He was also the first dentist to suggest that force at timed intervals could be a potential method for moving the teeth to straighten them.
Soon after these two came a man who created a classification system for crooked teeth, finally lending an objective measure to scientifically studying the straightening of teeth. This system of measure is still used to this very day to determine the necessary amount of pressure for the correction of different severities of crooked teeth. This ssame man also founded the very first school of orthodontics in 1901.
Eventually braces became more and more advanced in the wire technology used and dentists developed things like the headsets that people used to wear to keep specific teeth from moving. Then in 1997 Zia Chishti invented Invisalign technology, the newest and most effrective brace technology on the market. These braces are made with computer guided technology and were made available to the public in 2000.
We’ve come a long way since the first systems for teeth straightening. Even today sometimes wire brace technology can seem primitive, but at least its better than some of the things that used to be put in people’s mouths to straighten their teeth! Luckily today we don’t even have to worry about the harm of metal braces either. With clear braces and Invisalign technology we can have a safe and comfortable transition to a healthier, happier smile.
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Green Beer? Try Green Teeth
This Saint Patrick’s Day thousands of people across the U.S. will be going out to celebrate with lots of delicious green foods like green cakes, green cupcakes, green chocolate, green eggs and ham, and even the popular Saint Patty’s Day hit green beer. But all this green food has one thing in common: green food coloring. In small doses green food coloring can be a fun way to brighten up your food or play along for Saint Patrick’s Day, but after eating green food coloring all day a person’s teeth will quickly start to show that green dye.
