Did you know that dentistry has been practiced for over 14,000 years? Even so, it wasn’t until the last few hundred years that the field rapidly improved and was brought to the general population. The 1900s, in particular, was a century of great advances in dental technology. Here’s a brief timeline to illustrate:
1903: An American dentist named Dr. Charles Land patents the first porcelain jacket crown.
1905: Alfred Einhorn, a German chemist, invents the formula for the anesthetic later referred to as Novocaine.
1908 Greene Vardiman Black creates a very important two-volume treatise called Operative Dentistry. He later writes the treatment process for fillings, standardizes operating procedures for dentistry and offers other vital contributions to the field.
1913: Dr. Alfred Fones, “The Father of Dental Hygiene”, opens Fones Clinic for Dental Hygienists, the world’s first dental hygiene school in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
1937: Dr. Alvin Stock successfully installs the first dental implant in the mouth of his patient.
1938: A toothbrush model with synthetic nylon bristles appears on the market for the first time. Before this, horse and pig hairs were the norm.
1949: Oskar Haggar, a Swiss chemist, bonds acrylic resin to dentin, a process used in many dental treatments.
1950: Fluoride toothpaste is first sold in stores.
1960: Dentists begin to use lasers to treat periodontal disease.
1989: Home tooth-whitening products emerge on the market.
1990: The progress of tooth colored restoration procedures and the appearance of teeth whitening leads to an era of “cosmetic dentistry”.
1997: The YAG laser is approved to treat cavities.
River Valley Dental honors the pioneers in the dental industry. After all, without them, our business could not exist the way it is today. Want to experience the benefits of modern dentistry with Dr. Bryce Hanson and their expert team in Shelley, Idaho? Just call 208-357-7611 to set up an appointment. We’re here to make you smile.