Awhile back, news of the discovery of a 6,500-year-old human jawbone with a beeswax filling was released to the media. Originally reported by the journal PLOS ONE, researchers Federico Bernardini and Claudio Tuniz of Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics were at the helm of the discovery. Schaumburg cosmetic dentist, Dr. Brent A. Engelberg, will tell you more about the findings.
Neolithic Dentistry Uncovered
The jawbone was an exciting discovery even before researchers recognized an early filling securely in place. Bernardini and Tuniz were able to surmise that the beeswax plug in the decayed tooth was most likely inserted in the person’s final days of life. There is still some speculation that the beeswax filling could have been applied after death, in some sort of unknown ritual. More likely, however, is the theory that the beeswax filling was administered to the Neolithic individual to reduce pain and stop infection in a cracked or decaying tooth. It could even be possible that infection from the tooth had led to an oral-systemic breakdown that contributed the Neolithic person’s death.
Tooth-Colored Fillings in the Modern Cosmetic Dental Age
The history of prehistoric dentistry is fairly scarce at this time, which makes scientists and historians particularly excited about the early filling. Beeswax would have been an innovative material at the time. The sticky, pliable material that hardens with time seems like a logical filling choice if no other options existed. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way in restorative dentistry. Now, your Schaumburg dentist can offer you fillings that blend in with surrounding teeth, so if someone asks if you’ve ever had a cavity, you can say, “none of your beeswax.”
Schaumburg Cosmetic Dentist Offers Tooth-Colored Fillings
If you are unhappy with amalgam or gold fillings and would like them replaced with tooth colored fillings, your cosmetic dentist in Schaumburg can assist you. Dr. Engelberg offers cosmetic procedures that can help with a number of dental issues. You can reach our 60159 dentist office at 847-259-8030. We are happy to serve patients in Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Northwest Chicago Suburbs, and Northern Chicago Suburbs.
