{"id":351,"date":"2026-08-17T22:45:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T22:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/?p=351"},"modified":"2026-08-17T22:45:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T22:45:19","slug":"cosmetic-dentistry-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/2026\/08\/17\/cosmetic-dentistry-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Cosmetic Dentistry \u2013 a Brief History!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"History<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Back in the day, dentistry was mostly about addressing oral health issues. Tis is still the main priority of dentists today, but more and more people are becoming interested in the cosmetic aspects of dentistry for various reasons. With the general population having better oral health and more disposable income, cosmetic dentistry is more common. That being said, it isn\u2019t anything new. Continue reading to learn more about the history of cosmetic dentistry<\/a> and how it has evolved to be what it is today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Ancient Cosmetic Dentistry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Going back to 700 B.C., the Etruscans attempted to replace teeth with a wide range of sources. Dentures were constructed from materials like bone and ivory. They would also use animal teeth or teeth from deceased humans. Ancient Egyptians would fuse seashells as a way to replace their missing teeth. Crown and bridges could be made using gold. As for teeth whitening, Ancient Romans used urine because of the ammonia that was present (ew!). Thanks to modern developments in science and technology, we have much more effective and less repulsive methods today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medieval Cosmetic Dentistry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dentistry in medieval times was completed by a barber. They would file down the teeth and use a special coat to make them look whiter. While this would work temporarily, it would also destroy the enamel, wear down the teeth, and result in tooth infections and missing teeth. Europeans continued to use bone and ivory to replace missing teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cosmetic Dentistry of the Enlightenment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cosmetic dentistry started to improve in the 1700s. This is when porcelain became a popular material for making dentures. Dentists would still use metal to fill the sockets of missing teeth, but the body would reject it. Porcelain teeth were becoming more common as an alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20th<\/sup> Century Cosmetic Dentistry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beginning in the 1900s, materials used for cosmetic dental treatments start to change. Porcelain wasn\u2019t the most affordable material on the market, so plastics and acrylics were used to make crowns and dentures. Acrylic is still a common material used for restorations today. In the 1930s, veneers were invented to be used by film stars in movies. In 1937, the first screw-like dental implants were created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern Cosmetic Dentistry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cosmetic dental care has been around for many years, but it is so much more advanced than ever before. There is a lot of focus on enhancing the appearance of beautiful teeth. Popular techniques include teeth whitening, veneers, dental crowns, dental implants, and much more. New technology and techniques are constantly being developed and becoming more advanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cosmetic dentistry won\u2019t be slowing down in the near future. If you aren\u2019t happy with the current appearance of your smile, schedule a consultation with your dentist. This way, you can discuss your concerns and put together a plan that best meets your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Dustin C. Lively<\/a> earned his dental doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. Since then, he\u2019s enrolled in many continuing education courses at the Misch Implant Institute and the Pierre Fauchard Academy to keep his knowledge and skills sharp. To learn more about cosmetic dentistry or to schedule an appointment at his office in Magnum, visit his website<\/a> or call (580) 782-2552.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Back in the day, dentistry was mostly about addressing oral health issues. Tis is still the main priority of dentists today, but more and more people are becoming interested in the cosmetic aspects of dentistry for various reasons. With the general population having better oral health and more disposable income, cosmetic dentistry is more common. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-351","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/351","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=351"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":354,"href":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/351\/revisions\/354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.333dentalcare.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}