The Important Contributions of Fauchard and Bourdet to Orthodontics
Orthodontics and cosmetic orthodontics become a very popular field in dentistry these days. Today, more and more people are hoping to attain properly aligned teeth. But none of these would be possible if it weren’t for these two very important men who gave way to the birth of orthodontics. These two men are Pierre Fauchard and Ettiene Bourdet.
Pierre Fauchard is a French physician and is often regarded as the “father of modern dentistry”. In 1728, he wrote a book entitled “Le Chirurgien Dentiste” or “The Surgeon Dentist”, which was said to be a complete scientific description of dentistry.
“The Surgeon Dentist” was able to tackle about the basic oral anatomy and function. Here, Fauchard was also able to discuss the signs and symptoms of oral pathology. In his book, he was also able to teach operative methods for removing decay and restoring teeth. It also includes periodontal disease, replacement of missing teeth, tooth transplantation and of course, orthodontics. Fauchard also discussed the use of a horseshoe-like piece of metal that can expand the arch.
Ettiene Bourdet, a dentist to the king of France, is also a significant name in the field of orthodontics. In 1757, he introduced a book entitled “The Dentist’s Art”. In this book, Bourdet devoted one whole chapter to discussing tooth aligning treatment and the appliances used for assisting this treatment. Bourdet was also able to perfect Fauchard’s tooth aligning device in his book, as well as, the way to decrease tooth crowding by means of removing the premolars.
Both of these men’s contribution paved way for newer orthodontic appliances to emerge. For this reason, many dentists and orthodontists pay high respects to these two great men.
