Kingsport, TN
If your grandparents had dentures when you were growing up, you may have memories of them pulling their teeth out at night and their mouths drawing up as they plopped their teeth into a glass of water by their bed. Chances are that your grandparents looked at their dentures as modern-day marvels, but they’ve changed so much even over a couple of generations.
Taking a look back at the evolution of dentures can give us an all-new appreciation for how technology has revolutionized the dental world and the work we do in our Kingston dental lab …
Early beginnings
History has recorded the use of dentures as far back as thousands of years ago, when teeth for dentures were sourced from human teeth, bone and even seashells. Dentures were also made from wood during the 16th and 17th centuries, but they were uncomfortable, prone to warping and often failed to function properly.
The ivory age
As sugar consumption increased, so did tooth decay. In the 1700s, people began using ivory sourced from elephants, walruses, donkeys, horses and even hippopotamuses. Despite the references to wooden teeth during the days of George Washington, the founding father actually owned dentures that were made from ivory.
The first porcelain dentures were made in 1774. As recently as the 1820s, historical records reveal that human teeth continued being incorporated into dentures with animal ivory bases.
The golden era
A goldsmith named Claudia Ash made the first dentures with gold. He combined 19-karat gold plates with mounted porcelain teeth and added springs and swivels to help make dentures function more naturally.
The vulcanite revolution
The 19th century brought a significant advancement in denture technology with the introduction of vulcanite, a type of hardened rubber. Vulcanite dentures were more flexible, comfortable and lifelike than previous denture attempts. They could also be mass-produced, making them more accessible to a wider range of people. Porcelain teeth could be set into the rubber. Acrylic resins and other plastics were eventually incorporated into the manufacturing process. This is when prosthetic teeth began to resemble natural teeth in both form and function.
Modern-day dentures
In recent decades, denture technology has continued to evolve at a rapid pace. In today’s digital era, scanning and printing technologies allow dentures to be custom-made; gone are the days of one-size-fits-all dentures that were uncomfortable and unreliable. Also gone are the days when dentists had to use goopy, gag-inducing materials to make impressions of teeth and mouth tissue. Digital scanning and 3D printing technologies have streamlined the denture fabrication process, allowing dental labs like ours in Kingsport to create dentures with greater precision and customization. Innovations such as implant-supported dentures have revolutionized the field, offering superior stability and chewing efficiency. Today, dentists and labs can restore a smile with full and partial custom-crafted dentures that also improve a person’s ability to chew and speak naturally.
Dentures for dental practices throughout the Southeast United States
From humble and crude beginnings to sophisticated modern prosthetics, the evolution of dentures is a testament to human innovation and dental excellence. As technology continues to advance, dentures will undoubtedly become even more comfortable, durable and lifelike, ensuring that smiles remain bright for generations to come. For questions about dentures, give our dental lab specialists at Premier Dental Arts a call at (888) 732-5221, or reach us online today.