Many people find themselves afraid of the dentist. This is likely due to some uninformed fear, but that fear is real. People think the dentist is known for scary drills and sharp objects. Typically, this is not true, but it in some cases the dentist does have to drill. Those cases are not as common as one might think. However, in the past, dentistry was truly frightening. The dentists of today are caring, thoughtful, skilled professionals. For example, a Cosmetic Dentist Chesterfield MO has a series of high-tech devices made to make your visit as comfortable and easy as possible.
Doc Holliday
One of the most famous dentists of all time was John Henry Holliday, who is better known as Doc Holliday. He was born in Georgia in 1851. Too young to take part in the Civil War, he stayed with his mother, where learned to play piano and cards. At the age of twenty, he attended Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery. He became a cosmetic dentist in Atlanta, Georgia. However, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. His mother had died from the disease five years earlier. At the time, medical professionals were not sure how tuberculosis was spread, so there is no telling where he caught the disease.
Doc moved to the west in hopes that the dry climate would alleviate his symptoms. In Texas, he met a lawman named Wyatt Earp. By warning Wyatt of someone sneaking up on him, Doc saved Wyatt’s life, and they started a friendship. Doc also supposedly cleaned Wyatt’s teeth. This was probably the first time Wyatt had ever visited a cosmetic dentist. In fact, it was probably his first toothbrush as well.
Dental Practice
While he was working as a cosmetic dentist, Doc Holliday was likely involved in a shooting in Georgia. The shooting took place at the Withlacoochee River.
Holliday was well-respected enough that another well-known professional in Georgia advertised that Doc would substitute for him while he was away. With a different partner, he won awards at the Annual Fair of the North Texas Agricultural, Mechanical, and Blood Stock Association. He won, “Best set of artificial teeth and dental ware,” and “Best set of teeth in gold,” and finally, “Best set of teeth in Vulcanized rubber.”
Based on the different awards that Doc Holliday earned, you can see that the practice of dentistry in the past was quite different than it is now. The use of advanced materials, both natural and synthetic, allows professionals to create fillings, caps, and replacements that are virtually invisible. They are designed to look and feel like your natural teeth. There is no earthly way an entire set of gold teeth can look natural or feel natural. They would be heavy and awkward, as well as hard to chew or talk with.
