Dentist Drill.19 century.
- Thread starter t7777t
- Start date
Doc Mark
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Hey, I like that one! It looks newer than any of my equipment in the office! I could carry one of these with me in the car, that way I would be ready to do emergency root canals anywhere. I like the fact that it doesn't need electricity or air pressure to operate. Notice the engraving designs have not changed much since then.
I'm trying to imagine being in enough pain and misery to subject myself to such a device! 
Mike Fennell
Elite Cafe Member
When my mom was growing up in western Nebraska during the great depression, her dentist used a foot-treadle drill that operated like the original Singer sewing machine... no, thank you.
BTW, she still has those teeth at age 93. I must ask her if the drill was engraved.
Mike Fennell
BTW, she still has those teeth at age 93. I must ask her if the drill was engraved.
Mike Fennell
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Doc Mark
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
When I was stationed in the Philippines (1972-1976), I watched a young Filipino dentist use a treadle operated dental drill out in the boondocks of Mindanao. It was interesting to watch, but I sure didn't want to have to use that tool everyday. I'll stick with our high speed handpieces.
I found mention of that one shown in the photo: The first "motor-driven" drill appeared in 1864, the design of Englishman George F. Harrington; hand-held, it was powered by the spring action of a clock movement.
I must be gettin' old... my dentist used an articulated arm belt driven drill on me when I was a kid.
Marrinan
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Mine too Doc-Fred
Mike Cirelli
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I'm with Sam on this. You would have to drag me to the chair.
mtgraver
Elite Cafe Member
Come on guys you sound like wimps! just think it could have been the engraver as the dentist before he made that thing and used his hammer and chisel on you instead!! That's when I'd be dragged in kicking and screaming. lol Kind of fun seeing things in their infancy.
Ya know Doc, having one of those at an engrave in could be mighty handy.
Ya know Doc, having one of those at an engrave in could be mighty handy.
THAT'S nothin, kids. a few thousand ago, the egyptian dentists poured molten gold into cavities !!. when they were'nt doin that, they would sometimes pound thin gold into the cavities, using hammer & punch !!
Dave London
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Hey Mark when I was in the service the dentist used a chisel and hammer and two assistants to hold me down to break up a couple of wisdom teeth. If I remember right about 4 hrs in the chair.
I had a molar sawed in four and then cracked into pieces with a molar breaker. When the oral surgeon was removing the pieces one hooked root broke off. After a lot of scraping and digging he finally got ahold of it and got it out of there. I swear there are imprints of my hands in the arm rests to this day.
Boy have'nt we all got some horror stories about dentists.That 19th century dentist drill could replace water boarding. I'm happy with my dentures no more pain,I just have to keep them in a safe place away from the dogs. J.J.
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Doc Mark
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Hey Monk,
The Egyptians have nothing on us, we still do gold foil restorations by impacting fine gold foil into cavity preparations. The force needed to "cold weld" gold foil is really quite low and it is not uncomfortable for the patient. We just don't see it done much any more due to the cost and the amount of time it takes to do one. When I took my dental board exams (when dinosaurs roamed the earth) doing a gold foil filling was part of the exam.
"Nothing new under the sun."
The Egyptians have nothing on us, we still do gold foil restorations by impacting fine gold foil into cavity preparations. The force needed to "cold weld" gold foil is really quite low and it is not uncomfortable for the patient. We just don't see it done much any more due to the cost and the amount of time it takes to do one. When I took my dental board exams (when dinosaurs roamed the earth) doing a gold foil filling was part of the exam.
"Nothing new under the sun."
tundratrekers@mtaonline.n
Elite Cafe Member
I picked up a hitch hiker,here in alaska one winter night.He was all to happy to tell me he had just come from his buddy,the ivory carvers house.He drilled out his molar with a foredom tool,and then poured in melted gold nuggets.He then finished the tooth carving.It didnt look half bad.mike
Les Riddell
Member
can i download this photo and use it as a screen saver??
With the melting point of pure gold being 1064.43 °C (1947.9741 °F)... I have a lot of doubts about such stories. The heat alone would crack the tooth and cause untold pain. Especially for the metal that would slop over in the mouth. Malleting of pure 24K gold and other soft metals into cavities... that's been done for centuries. But, pouring molten gold into someone's mouth...
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