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Etruscans, people living in Etruria (Umbria and Tuscany, Italy), were the first to make dentures and false teeth, from 700 BCE onwards. Teeth from another person or an animal, such as an ox, were inserted into a band of gold with a metal pin and fitted on to the remaining teeth. The teeth could be easily removed if necessary. Imagine eating with another person’s teeth! Only wealthy people could afford this treatment. There were no specialist dentists so den-tistry was one of the duties of a physician.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: Europe

Copy of an Etruscan denture, Europe

Teeth can be lost through accident or infection, leaving a gap. False teeth can be made to fill the gap. A tooth was inserted into a metal bridge like this one, fixed with a metal pin and fitted on to the remaining teeth. Donor teeth were from animals or other people. Imagine eating with someone else’s teeth! Only wealthy people could afford this treatment. There were no specialist dentists, so dentistry was one of the duties of a physician.

The original dental bridge was found in Teano, Southern Italy.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: Europe

Copy of Roman dental bridge, Europe, 1901-1930

This film for dental professionals relates to surgery which is performed on longterm denture (false teeth) wearers. Over time a hard ridge forms. The film follows three patients operatively and post-operatively.

1 film reel (27 min.) : silent, color, 16 mm

Alveolo plasty for ridge extension.

1 encoded moving image (26:17 min.) : silent ; colour, PAL.

1 DVD (26:17 min.) : silent, color, PAL. 1 videocassette (26:17 min.) (DIGIBETA) : silent., color, PAL.

1 encoded moving image (34:23 min.) : silent ; colour, PAL.

Poly antibiotic treatment.

'Prize medal artificial teeth' advertised with 5 years warranty with every set. Civil Service Dental Company Ltd. 1895? 

The false teeth are advertised as being available in vulcanite, silver, platina and gold. On the front is an illustration of the premises at 150 Brompton Road, London. 

EPH644:2 / Dentistry ephemera : Swanson material. Box 3.

Civil Service Dental Company Ltd., 1895?

Etruscans, people living in Etruria (Umbria and Tuscany, Italy), were the first to make dentures and false teeth, from 700 BCE onwards. Teeth from another person or an animal, such as an ox, were inserted into a band of gold with a metal pin and fitted on to the remaining teeth. Imagine eating with another person’s teeth! Only wealthy people could afford this treatment. There were no specialist dentists, so dentistry was one of the duties of a physician.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: Europe

Copy of Etruscan denture, Europe, 1901-1930

Etruscans, people living in Etruria (Umbria and Tuscany, Italy), were the first to make dentures and false teeth, from 700 BCE onwards. Teeth from another person or an animal, such as an ox, were inserted into a band of gold with a metal pin and fitted on to the remaining teeth. Imagine eating with another person’s teeth! Only wealthy people could afford this treatment. There were no specialist dentists so dentistry was one of the duties of a physician. This is a copy of an original denture with two teeth, which was found in a tomb in Etruria, Italy.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: Europe

Copy of an Etruscan denture, Europe, 1901-1930

Leaflet advertising J. Shipley Slipper's dental services at 37 High Holborn, London and in Brighton under H. Hurst. Painless fitting of false teeth is promised. Printed in black and red on pale blue paper with elaborately decorative borders.

Dentistry ephemera : Swanson material. Box 5

English and American dentistry at Brighton : at Mr. H. Hurst's, 37 Ship Street... / J. Shipley Slipper.

WMS/Amer. 91 is one of a series of annual orders for general estate supplies sent by Washington to London. MS.7799 comprises a photograph of a letter from Washington shortly before his death, discussing his false teeth, plus supporting documentation.

2 files Holograph document, photograph and typescript, held in files of loose papers.

Washington, George (1732-1799)

Photographs of a 1798 letter from George Washington to his dentist concerning his false teeth; plus covering letter (typescript, carbon) sending the photograph, plus a transcript and a cutting about the letter from the New York Evening World, to Henry Wellcome in London.

Letters

Dental historian.

Lost teeth and mind over matter / Heather K. Smith and A.C.H. Smith.

Folios from different Arabic and Turkish treatises on religion and law. 1 folio has a text on fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) in Arabic, with false Oriental drawing of the scene of circumcision (castration?) with pseudo-Arabic inscriptions. 5 folios comprise Turkish text on religious matters, divided into several stories. There are false Oriental drawings with the scenes of circumcision, childbirth and medical treatment (teeth boring) with pseudo-Arabic inscriptions.

[Wellcome MS Turkish Ottoman 42]

Teeth could be lost through accident or infection, leaving a gap. False teeth were made to fill these gaps. A tooth was inserted into a metal bridge like this one with a metal pin and fitted on to the remaining teeth. The donor teeth came from animals or another person. Only wealthy people could afford this treatment. There were no specialist dentists so dentistry was one of the duties of a physician.

This object is a copy of an original found in Satricum, Latium, Italy. Latium is an ancient region of west central Italy now known as Lazio.

maker: Unknown maker

Place made: Europe

Copy of a Roman denture, Europe, 1901-1930

Leaflet printed in black on white paper advertising W.J. Jones' dental practice. False teeth, fillings and painless dental surgery are advertised. Includes an illustration of a dentist examining a patient in the corner of a room with a folding screen and a window behind them.

Dentistry ephemera : Swanson material. Box 2

1 folded sheet (4 pages) : illustrations ; 10 x 13 cm

The latest methods in dentistry... / W.J. Jones.

Advertising card printed in blue on white card. The front is an illustration of the premises at 150 Brompton Road, London. False teeth in vulcanite, silver, platina and gold are advertised as are fillings, and extractions under cocaine, chlor. ethyl, nitrous oxide gas &c.

Dentistry ephemera : Swanson material. Box 3

Civil Service Dental Company Ltd. : prize medal artificial teeth : 5 years warranty with every set.

Leaflet printed in black on white paper advertising false teeth, fillings and painless extractions at the American Dental Institute, 118, High Street, Notting Hill Gate, [London] W. An oval portrait of Mr. J. Marks is on the front of the leaflet with decorative floral devices either side.

1 folded sheet (4 pages) : illustrations, portrait ; 17 cm

American dentistry : its science and exquisite art as prectised by Mr. J. Marks, principal of the American Dental Institute.

Advertising leaflet printed in black on white paper with a smiling young boy (looking much like Mad Magazine's Alfred E. Neuman) boasting "It didn't hurt a bit" on the front, a photograph of the premises on the reverse. False teeth, tooth extractions, fillings, crown and bridge work are all advertised.

Dentistry ephemera : Swanson material. Box 4

Inexpensive dentistry / Broadway Dental Institute.

Leaflet printed in black on pale green paper with decorative type, borders and flourishes. It advertises the company's low price false teeth and painless dental surgery. American crown and bar work is also mentioned. They have branches in Gravesend, High Wycombe, Chatham, Guildford and Dartford, head establishment at 122, High Holborn, London.

1 folded sheet (8 pages) : illustrations ; 13 cm

About teeth / with the compliments of The MacDonald Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

Leaflet advertising the Cartwright Davis dental practice at 81, Knightsbridge, London, S.W. Printed on pale green paper in black. There is a map on the back and a 17th century gentleman on the front, left arm raised with a limp wrist dangling. False teeth, crowns, bridge work, fillings and extractions are all advertised.

1 folded sheet : illustrations, map ; 15 cm

Messrs. Cartwright Davis, dentists : look to your teeth!! / Cartwright Davis.

A film outlining a number of ways to help the dentist, 'observe, compare, criticise and improve'. It starts with a few tips about using instruments such as a magnetic bar to collect certain tools and then a more in depth look at improving the aesthetics of false teeth and the treatment of an older female patient.

1 videocassette (23:15 min.) (DIGIBETA) : sound, colour

Some practical ideas in dentistry.

4 film reels (30 min. each; 2 complete prints and 2 master picture/sound) : sound, colour, 16mm.

1 encoded moving image (23:15 min) : sound, colour.

The "Doctor Death" exhibition at the Wellcome Institute (24 January-27 June 1997) Ken Arnold of the Wellcome Institute describes the medical and historical context of some of the exhibits. False teeth in the early days were made from real teeth and were called Waterloo teeth as they were usually taken from the mouths of people killed in battle. These would then be worn with wire contraptions. There was a great shortage of bodies to teach anatomy in medical schools. In Edinburgh two people, William Burke and William Hare, found lucrative trade in selling doctors the bodies of people they had murdered. They were caught and sentenced to public execution in 1827; Burke's body was ordered to be dissected and perpetually used for medical purpose.

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Copy of an Etruscan denture, Europe

Copy of Roman dental bridge, Europe, 1901-1930

Alveolo plasty for ridge extension.

Alveolo plasty for ridge extension.

Alveolo plasty for ridge extension.

Poly antibiotic treatment.

Civil Service Dental Company Ltd., 1895?

Copy of Etruscan denture, Europe, 1901-1930

Copy of an Etruscan denture, Europe, 1901-1930

English and American dentistry at Brighton : at Mr. H. Hurst's, 37 Ship Street... / J. Shipley Slipper.

Washington, George (1732-1799)

Letters

Lost teeth and mind over matter / Heather K. Smith and A.C.H. Smith.

[Wellcome MS Turkish Ottoman 42]

Copy of a Roman denture, Europe, 1901-1930

The latest methods in dentistry... / W.J. Jones.

Civil Service Dental Company Ltd. : prize medal artificial teeth : 5 years warranty with every set.

American dentistry : its science and exquisite art as prectised by Mr. J. Marks, principal of the American Dental Institute.

Inexpensive dentistry / Broadway Dental Institute.

About teeth / with the compliments of The MacDonald Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

Messrs. Cartwright Davis, dentists : look to your teeth!! / Cartwright Davis.

Some practical ideas in dentistry.

Some practical ideas in dentistry.

Some practical ideas in dentistry.

GLR breakfast : the morbid side of medicine.

Stay in the know

Today’s opening times

Wellcome uses cookies.

Search the collections

More filters

Copy of an Etruscan denture, Europe

Copy of Roman dental bridge, Europe, 1901-1930

Alveolo plasty for ridge extension.

Alveolo plasty for ridge extension.

Alveolo plasty for ridge extension.

Poly antibiotic treatment.

Civil Service Dental Company Ltd., 1895?

Copy of Etruscan denture, Europe, 1901-1930

Copy of an Etruscan denture, Europe, 1901-1930

English and American dentistry at Brighton : at Mr. H. Hurst's, 37 Ship Street... / J. Shipley Slipper.

Washington, George (1732-1799)

Letters

Lost teeth and mind over matter / Heather K. Smith and A.C.H. Smith.

[Wellcome MS Turkish Ottoman 42]

Copy of a Roman denture, Europe, 1901-1930

The latest methods in dentistry... / W.J. Jones.

Civil Service Dental Company Ltd. : prize medal artificial teeth : 5 years warranty with every set.

American dentistry : its science and exquisite art as prectised by Mr. J. Marks, principal of the American Dental Institute.

Inexpensive dentistry / Broadway Dental Institute.

About teeth / with the compliments of The MacDonald Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

Messrs. Cartwright Davis, dentists : look to your teeth!! / Cartwright Davis.

Some practical ideas in dentistry.

Some practical ideas in dentistry.

Some practical ideas in dentistry.

GLR breakfast : the morbid side of medicine.

Stay in the know

Wellcome Collection

Today’s opening times