Posted on 04/05/2006 1:33:23 PM PDT by The_Victor
WASHINGTON - Proving prehistoric man's ingenuity and ability to withstand and inflict excruciating pain, researchers have found that dental drilling dates back 9,000 years.
Primitive dentists drilled nearly perfect holes into live but undoubtedly unhappy patients between 5500 B.C. and 7000 B.C., an article in Thursday's journal Nature reports. Researchers carbon-dated at least nine skulls with 11 drill holes found in a Pakistan graveyard.
That means dentistry is at least 4,000 years older than first thought — and far older than the useful invention of anesthesia.
This was no mere tooth tinkering. The drilled teeth found in the graveyard were hard-to-reach molars. And in at least one instance, the ancient dentist managed to drill a hole in the inside back end of a tooth, boring out toward the front of the mouth.
The holes went as deep as one-seventh of an inch (3.5 millimeters).
"The holes were so perfect, so nice," said study co-author David Frayer, an anthropology professor at the University of Kansas. "I showed the pictures to my dentist and he thought they were amazing holes."
How it was done is painful just to think about. Researchers figured that a small bow was used to drive the flint drill tips into patients' teeth. Flint drill heads were found on site. So study lead author Roberto Macchiarelli, an anthropology professor at the University of Poitiers, France, and colleagues simulated the technique and drilled through human (but no longer attached) teeth in less than a minute.
"Definitely it had to be painful for the patient," Macchiarelli said.
Researchers were impressed by how advanced the society was in Pakistan's Baluchistan province. The drilling occurred on ordinary men and women.
The dentistry, probably evolved from intricate ornamental bead drilling that was also done by the society there, went on for about 1,500 years until about 5500 B.C., Macchiarelli said. After that, there were no signs of drilling.
Macchiarelli and Frayer said the drilling was likely done to reduce the pain of cavities.
Macchiarelli pointed to one unfortunate patient who had a tooth drilled twice. Another patient had three teeth drilled. Four drilled teeth showed signs of cavities. No sign of fillings were found, but there could have been an asphalt-like substance inside, he said.
Dr. Richard Glenner, a Chicago dentist and author of dental history books, wouldn't bite on the idea that this was good dentistry. The drilling could have been decorative or to release "evil spirits" more than fighting tooth decay, he said, adding, "Why did they do it? No one will ever know."
Macchiarelli said the hard-to-see locations of the drilled teeth in jaws seem to rule out drilling for decorative purposes. Frayer said the prehistoric drillers' skill is something modern-day patients can use to lord over their dentists.
"This may be something to tell your dentist: If these people 9,000 years ago could make a hole this perfect in less than a minute," Frayer said, "what are they doing?"
LOL!
When I watch tv, I watch it in bed ............ If the Stooges would come in a complete DVD, I'd NEVER get out of bed!
The Three Stooges were FABULOUS.............
I guess it wasn't carbide or high speed steel.
There is absolutely no evidence that insurance firms back then were being run by the same Neanderthals we experience today.
Absolutely none whatsoever!!!!!
CA....
There's this guy sitting in the chair at the dentist's office, waiting for the dentist to start working on him.
As the dentist moves in with the drill, all of a sudden the patient reaches out and grabs the dentist by the crotch and says, "Tell me now, Doc, we're not going to hurt each other now, are we?"
CA....
I had a sneaking suspicion there was a joke lurking in there somewhere.
Thanks for the laugh,
knewshound
http://www.knewshound.blogspot.com/
Does this mean the patients (who's skulls were found at this site) died during the proceedure?
A past girlfriend of mine always did that too. I could never understand why and it gives me the willies just thinking about doing that!
It's a trade off. A little bit of short term pain in exchange for being able to go directly to work and not worry about chewing your tongue raw.
Opium poppies are grown around there I think.
FYI, the actual drill hurts not at all.
It is typically the heat you feel from the Doc drilling the same spot. Once I explain that if they simply drill then back off, then drill then back off, it hurts as much as a hangnail.
The constant pressure on a single spot is what is causing you pain, not the drilling.
Think about it, teeth have no nerves, how could it hurt?
Cheers,
knewshound
My GF's reasoning was more along the lines of "The pain reinforces to myself the need for good dental hygene". She saw it as some sort of self-inflicted penalty for getting a cavity.
But I hate that numb rubbery feeling and I worry that if I talk or chew anything for about four hours I could conceivably do damage to my cheek or tongue.
I understand. I definately have a "drinking problem" for a few hours after novacaine.
I know how ya feel! I had a wisdom tooth yanked last week.
I was never accused of using it much, anyways. ;-)
Given the similarities, I never thoght there was a doubt...
2) how do we know this was dentistry at all? It could just as well have been form of torture, or punishment, much as dentistry is in modern times....
Refer back to my previous answer. ;-)
Not to be pedantic here, but did you sleep through that day in health class where they taught the 3 parts of the tooth, enamel, dentin, and pulp?
The pulp is a bundle of nerves and blood vessels. What's more, the dentin has fluid filled tubules that run from the pulp to the dentinal surface. The nerve grows projections into those tubules, and that is why you feel pain when your tooth is drilled on. That is also why teeth are sensitive when the gum recedes.
But you are correct that constant pressure causes pain, but that is because the high speed drill spins so fast that is causes heat to be built up, even with the water spray. A light, intermittent touch can alleviate that heat, and thus, pain.
maybe diamond
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