Pierre Fauchard 3020440 223901465 2008-07-06T12:25:04Z Lightbot 7178666 Units/dates/other {{Infobox Person | name=Pierre Fauchard| image=Portait de Pierre Fauchard par J. Le. Bel.jpg| caption=French [[physician]] & father of modern dentistry | quotation=Father of modern dentistry| birth_date=[[circa]], 1678 | birth_place= [[Brittany]], [[France]]| dead=dead | death_date={{death date|1761|3|22|mf=y}} | death_place=[[Paris]], [[France]] }} '''Pierre Fauchard''' (1678 – [[March 22]] [[1761]]), was a significant [[France|French]] [[physician]], he is credited to be the ''"father of modern dentistry"''. He is widely known for his book, ''Le chirurgien dentiste'', ''"The Surgeon Dentist"'' 1728, where he described the basic oral [[anatomy]] and function, signs and [[symptom]]s of [[oral pathology]], operative methods for removing [[dental caries|decay]] and [[Prosthodontics|restoring teeth]], periodontal disease ([[pyorrhea]]), [[orthodontics]], replacement of missing teeth, and tooth [[Organ transplant|transplantation]]. His book is said to be the first complete scientific description of [[dentistry]]. Fauchard's text was followed by others that continued to expand the knowledge of the dental profession throughout Europe. ==Biography== ===Early years=== Fauchard was born in a very modest home in [[Brittany]].In 1693 he joined the [[History of the French Navy|French Royal Navy]] at the age of 15, much to his family's distress, and came under the influence of [[Alexander Poteleret]], a surgeon major, who had spent considerable time studying the diseases of the dental organs. During that time, Fauchard learned that [[sailor|navymen personnel]] who were on long voyages suffered severely from disorders of the teeth, particularly [[scurvy]]. Eventually Major Poteleret inspired and encouraged him to read and carefully investigate the findings of his predecessors in the healing arts. He said he wanted to disseminate the knowledge he learned all those years at sea based on actual practice. This idea led Fauchard to become a [[combat medic]] as Alexander's [[protégé]]. ===Life as youth dentist=== [[Image:Device-teeth-fauchard.jpg|thumb|150px|Dental [[needle-nose pliers]] designed by Fauchard in the late 17th century to use in [[prosthodontics]].]] Once Pierre left his duties on the navy, he shortly settled down in [[Angers]], where he did much of his medical practice at the [[University of Angers]] Hospital. In Angers, he started much of the revolutionary medical work we know today, he was the pioneer of scientifical [[oral and maxillofacial surgery]], Pierre often described himself as a ''"Chirurgien Dentiste"'' (Surgical dentist) a term very rare at the time as dentists in the 17th century only focused in the treatment of tooth decay by extracting them. Although the limitations of the primitive surgical instruments during the late 17th and early 18th century, Fauchard was considered a highly skilled [[surgeon]] by many of their [[colleague]]s at Angers University Hospital. Pierre made remarkable improvisations of dental instruments, Fauchard often adapted tools from [[watch|watch maker]]s, [[jeweler]]s and even [[barber]]s, that he thought they could be used in dentistry. Pierre introduced, [[dental filling]]s as treatment for [[dental cavities]]. He stated that [[sugar]] derivate acids like [[tartaric acid]] were responsible of [[caries|dental decay]], and also suggested that tumors surrounding [[Gingiva|teethgum]] in later stages of tooth decay appeared as an effect of it. Fauchard was the pioneer of [[Prosthodontics|dental prosthesis]], he discovered many methods to replace the loss of teeth, and stated that substitutes could be made from carved blocks of [[ivory]] or [[bone]] and those artificially-made dental pieces would be useful as the natural ones. One of this methods stated that the artificial teeth could be held them in place by tying them to the remaining solid teeth by [[pivot]]s, using waxed thread or [[gold]] [[wire]]. Pierre also introduced [[dental braces]], although they were initially made of gold, he discovered that the teeth position could be corrected as the teeth would follow the pattern of the wires, waxed [[linen]] or [[silk]] threads were usually employed to fasten the braces. [[Image:Teeth-restoration-fauchard.jpg|thumb|150px||Early 18th century diagram made by doctor Fauchard on his book where he shows the procedure involved in teeth restoration.]] ===From Angers to Paris and his revolutionary book=== During 1716 to 1718, Pierre's career gained great prestige. During that time Fauchard spent long periods away from home studying and sharing his medical practice with other surgeons across France. In 1718, Fauchard moved to [[Paris]].During his staying in Paris, Pierre realized that many medical libraries lacked of good textbooks on dentistry and that an encyclopedia teaching book of oral surgery was needed, so he took the decision to write a professional dentist's treatise that could be based on his medical experience. For many months Fauchard gathered many medical research books as he could, interviewed many dentists he met, and reviewed his personal dairies during his years at Angers to write his manual, finally in 1723, at the age of 45, he completed the manuscript for ''"Le Chirurgien Dentiste" (roughly translated as "The surgical dentist")''. The manuscript was meticulously reviewed and the it was published in 1728 in two volumes. The book was well received in European medical community, an elarged edition in [[French language]] was published in 1746 and a [[German language|German]] translation was available in 1773. The book was very advanced for its time and was considered to be the origin of scientific dentistry. ==''"The surgical dentist"''== [[Image:Fauchard-book.jpg|thumb|200px|Portrait's of the 1728 version of [[Physician|Doctor]] Fauchard's book, the ''"Surgical dentist"''.]] The book consisted of 38 chapters in volume 1 and 26 chapters in volume 2. Both volumes contained 42 [[plate]]s depicting [[surgical instrument]]s and appliances. Many of the ideas introduced in the book were totally new to dentistry.{{ref|plate}} ===Highlights=== *Pierre's suggested that [[German tooth worm theory]] attribuited to dental decay, many of his observations through the [[microscope]] never gave positive to worms.{{ref|worm}} *Fauchard also said the cause of [[dental caries]] was sugar, and people should limit it from their daily food.{{ref|caries}} *Pierre disproved the spontaneous teeth generation, he said that the first teeth, which are called [[milk teeth]], separate themselves from their [[Root canal|roots]]. Some dentists at Fauchard's time believed they didn't have roots.{{ref|teeth}} *Fauchard introduced dental fillings as treatment for dental cavities, he suggested [[amalgam]]s like [[lead]], [[tin]] and sometimes gold, he also said that teeth should be cleaned periodically by a dentist.{{ref|amalgam}} *Pierre said that braces should be used to correct teeth's positions and that children's teeth was easier to move and faster than older people's teeth he suggested the cause was based on the size of the teeth roots.{{ref|roots}} *Fauchard was ahead of his time on medical care and he described the way how the patient should be greeted by the doctor and in what particular position the patient should take sit.{{ref|sit}} *Pierre recommended that the dentist should stand behind the patient to avoid create fear on them and introduced the concept of dentist's chair light.{{ref|avoid}} [[Image:Fauchard-inventions.JPG|thumb|250px|Late 17th century surgical instruments made by Pierre Fauchard during his research in [[oral surgery]], (from left to right) a saw, two kinds of [[forceps]], (bottom from left to right) two kinds of limes and a [[Gimlet (tool)|gimlet]].]] ===Human urine as a medical treatment=== Pierre Fauchard engraved on his books many of his inventions of many instruments made for [[oral surgery]] such as the [[obturator]] and the now famous [[dentist's drill]]. The drill Fauchard developed was manual and powered by a [[catgut]] twisted around a cylinder. He also suggested on his book that [[olive oil]] should be prescribed for [[cloves]] and [[cinnamon]] for [[pulpitis]].{{ref|prescription}} One of the ideas introduced by Pierre Fauchard that brought the attention of modern science historians was that Pierre recommended the use of human urine{{ref|humanurine}} in the treatment of early stages of caries. A chemical compound that Pierre was not able to identify in urine at the time was [[ammonia]], which was responsible of the ''"beneficial result"'' of urine. Although urine was used for this purpose since the ancient times to [[Middle Ages]], the idea of use it for the treatment got the aversion of many physicians and patients as well. ==Final days== On his book and during all his life Fauchard denounced how many patients were victims of [[quackery]] by dental [[charlatan]]s. Pierre encouraged his students and friends that the highly injurious techniques used by charlatans should do not be taken seriously. He warned his medical readers that [[nitric acid]] and [[sulfuric acid]] on teeth to remove tartar used by charlatans are potentially dangerous and said how to identify their false dental fillings.{{ref|charlatan}} Doctor Fauchard became a model for all dentists to come, he died at the age of 83 in [[Paris]], France, on [[March 22]] [[1761]]. ==Legacy== [[Image:Fauchard-drill.jpg|thumb|180px|Doctor Fauchard's late 17th century [[dentist's drill]].]] Fauchard's work influenced many youth medical minds in the [[age of enlightenment]] in France, [[Robert Bunon]] (1702–1748) dentist like Pierre, spend many years of his life in the [[Tooth enamel|enamel]] [[hypoplasia]] research. {{ref|Bunon}} [[Bourdet]] (1722–1789), whom is said to be one of the France's best dentists after Fauchard, based his work mainly on dental prosthesis (a concept introduced by Pierre), he also improved the way how the amalgams should be made and was the first physician to do [[gingivectomy]] on their patients when required.{{ref|Bourdet}} The American 19th century dentist [[Chapin A. Harris]] often quoted him and said that ''"considering the circumstances and limitations of his time, he will always be remembered as a pioneer and founder of modern dentistry."''{{ref|Chapin}} ==Trivia== *Although Doctor's Fauchard famous dental treatise on dentistry was published on the 18th century, it wasn't until the 20th century when [[Hilian Lindsay]] a medical science historian made a translation to English language.{{ref|Hilian}} *Fauchard was considered one of the first physicians to denounce medical malpractice in dentistry. He alleged to a tribunal that many dentists in France didn't have a degree or experience.{{ref|malpractice}} ==References== * German language Wikipedia: [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Fauchard Pierre Fauchard]. Retrieved October 28, 2005. * The Dental HiWay (Historical Overview) [http://www.sadanet.co.za/dhw/history/overview.html] *{{note|restaurant}}{{note|plate}}{{note|caries}}{{note|teeth}}{{note|amalgam}}{{note|roots}}{{note|sit}}{{note|avoid}}{{note|prescription}}{{note|humanurine}}{{note|charlatan}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fauchard.org/publications/remembrance.htm|title=The Pierre Fauchard Academy|accessdate=July 22|accessyear=2006|author=Monsieur Jean Claude de Vaux|last=de Vaux |first=Jean Claude|publisher=The French library of medicine|pages=1|language=English}} *{{note|Bunon}}{{note|Bourdet}}{{note|Chapin}}{{note|Hilian}}{{note|malpractice}}{{cite web|url=http://html.rincondelvago.com/practica-odontologica-en-la-francia-y-espana-del-siglo-xviii.html|title=Dentistry practice in Spain and France during the 18th century|accessdate=July 22|accessyear=2006|author=Spanish language quick reference desk|last=|first=|publisher=The free info's corner|pages=1|language=Spanish}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Fauchard, Pierre}} [[Category:French dentists]] [[Category:People from Bretagne]] [[Category:1678 births]] [[Category:1761 deaths]] [[cs:Pierre Fauchard]] [[de:Pierre Fauchard]] [[fr:Pierre Fauchard]] [[pt:Pierre Fauchard]]