The history of orthodontics, braces and interesting secrets that few people know

Orthodontics may seem like a modern invention, but few people know that it has a long history. Many ancient cultures developed surprisingly advanced methods to straighten and preserve the integrity of teeth.

Healthy teeth and an attractive smile have long been considered desirable. Many ancient civilizations used a rudimentary form of braces to correct crooked teeth while they were alive or to keep them aligned and intact in the afterlife.

Common materials used for braces in the ancient world included gold, metal, or catgut. Throughout history, other materials used for braces include platinum, silver, steel, wood, ivory, and copper.

Ancient civilizations used braces

In Egypt, the remains of an Egyptian mummy were discovered with metal posts on the teeth tied with strings from catgut (made from sheep or horse intestines), which acted as bowstrings in braces. modern - device that puts pressure on teeth and causes them to move.

Egyptian culture attaches great importance to the afterlife, so it is more common for the dead to have braces than for the living.

Cornelius Celsus Aulus (26 BC – 50) was an ancient Roman who devoted his life to the research and development of medical practices.

Celsus notes one patient used finger force to push his teeth to make them more even. Through detailed notes, Celsus hypothesized that teeth could be positioned and rearranged by long-term finger force.

The ancient Romans were the first civilization to use braces to align teeth while alive.

He stated that: 'If the baby teeth are still present when the permanent teeth come in, the permanent teeth will be misaligned. At that time, baby teeth must be extracted and pushed with fingers every day to move the displaced permanent teeth into the correct position.

Besides, the ancient Romans were the first civilization to use braces to align teeth while alive. Fine gold wire (called ligature) has been found through teeth at some Roman burial sites.

When was modern braces invented?

Modern braces were invented in 1819 by Christophe-Francois Delabarre. The French developed the field of dentistry in the 1700s, with notable advances including custom mouth guards and wisdom tooth removal to manage overcrowding.

However, it was Delabarre who created the technique of braces as we know them today. He devised a wire that was placed on both the upper and lower teeth, worn for a long time to straighten the teeth.

It wasn't until 1997, inspired by her own orthodontic treatment, that a Stanford graduate student named Zia Chishti envisioned a set of clear plastic braces that could perform the same straightening action. Traditional metal brackets without the need for wires or frequent adjustments.

He teamed up with Kelsey Wirth - a Stanford graduate student - to create custom clear sign trays using the latest computer software. They named the invention Invisalign. Invisalign was invented in 1997 but it was not until 2000 that they were offered to the market.

The father of orthodontics

Edward Angle (1855-1930) is known as the 'Father of Orthodontics'. Angle's first classification of malocclusion from 1899 is still in use today.

Angle designed many orthodontic appliances and is largely credited with developing orthodontic treatment from a speculative process into an exact science.

Angle was convinced that due to its complexity, orthodontics required specialized training, and he subsequently established the first graduate program dedicated to orthodontics. Universities around the world have continued this training program ever since, with graduate professionals known as orthodontists.