Don’t try straightening your teeth at home... Primitive ...

by Dr. Brad Edgren id you know that Marie Antoinette had braces? Well, not actually braces but she did have an early form of Dorthodontic treatment that was part of a whole body makeover to morph her into a more desirable bride to the family of the Dauphin of , Louis XVI.

Fauchard wrote a treatise titled “Le Chirugien Dentiste” (The Surgeon ) in 1728. At the time, it was considered the “enchiridion” on . Fauchard’s Bandeau appliance was a horseshoe shaped piece of a precious metal, often , with perforations along the “U” shaped arch form that was placed within the mouth. Gold wires were strung through the perforations and tied to the Diagram of from Pierre Fauchard’s teeth. The wires would have to be tight - Le chirurgien dentiste ou traité des dent. ened every few days to continue to move married by proxy to Louis-Auguste. Her the teeth towards the gold horseshoe. name changed to Marie Antoinette when Marie may have also required filing or she arrived in France on May 14, 1770. slenderization between the teeth (called On October 16, 1793, as a result of the Interproximal reduction today) to create A pastel of the young Maria Antonia sent to French Revolution, she was tried by the the Dauphin ahead of their marriage. additional space to unravel the crowding. Revolutionary Tribunal and executed by After several months of treatment her guillotine. Along with her unfashionably high smile was deemed acceptable. The After reading this article, one might forehead, scattered with patches of Bandeau was likely a very bulky and think that Marie Antoinette had one of the missing hair at the hairline, her smile was uncomfortable device compared to earliest forms of orthodontic treatment. far from being beautiful. The future today’s orthodontic brackets and However, Egyptian mummies have been queen of France had extremely crooked appliances. teeth and the Bourbon Court was said to discovered with metal bands around Born Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna have been horrified at the sight of her their teeth. It is believed that the on November 2, 1775, she was an smile. Egyptians attached catgut (dried Archduchess of Austria and the youngest twisted intestines of horses or sheep, not Consequently, in 1768, a French daughter to Empress Maria Theresa. In cats) to the bands to orthodontically dentist, Pierre Laveran, was summoned an effort to end hostilities between Austria move teeth to close gaps over 2000 to Vienna to straighten the archduchess’ and France an arranged marriage was years ago. So, even over 2000 years dental mess. Pierre Laveran used a made between Empress Maria Theresa ago, straight teeth were deemed crude orthodontic appliance, by today’s and King Louis XV of France for Maria important. G standards, labeled the Fauchard’s Antonia to marry the eldest grandson Bradford N. Edgren DDS, MS, FACD, FICD, Bandeau. Pierre Fauchard was an 18th Louis-Auguste, heir to the throne of Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics, century pioneer on modern dentistry. France. On April 19, 1770 Maria was 3400 W. 16th St. Bldg 4-V, Greeley.

30 The Best of Greeley & Weld County May 2018 www.TheBestofGreeley.com