RomanianJournalofOralRehabilitation Vol.6,No.3,JulyͲSeptember2014

REFERENCE BOOKS IN THE HISTORY OF DENTAL PIERRE FAUCHARD AND HIS HANDBOOK OF THE TEETH (1728) (II) Irina Croitoru “Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy - Ia܈i, Romania, Faculty of Medicine, Discipline of Modern Languages

ABSTRACT The journey into the world of books about the history of dental medicine, proposed by our paragraph, debuted in the first number of the review in 2014 with the book of Pierre Fauchard (1679-1761), Le Chirurgien dentiste ou Traité des dents, which had the first edition in 1728, the second in 1746 and the third in 1786. In the last article our journey was about the life, the personality, the current international appreciation and the structure of the first volume (partly compiled). We suggest the reader to stop now on the content of the second volume, work with an original character, the creativity and the professional passion of the Parisian doctor taking place here. The rigorous, precise, scientific language, reveals the value a universe of knowledge of the anatomy of the mouth and dentition, throughout its evolution, its encountered pathology, its interventions of surgical nature, descriptions of the surgical techniques used, but especially descriptions as precisely as possible of the medical instruments used in the dental surgery, mostly invented and designed by the author.

Keywords: the history of in the 18th century, history of , history of odontology, prosthesis, Pierre Fouchard, Le chirurgien, dental instrument set, dental technique and technology, French dentistry

The journey into the world of books about appreciation and the structure of the first the history of dental medicine, proposed by volume (partly compiled). our paragraph, debuted in the first number of We suggest the reader to stop now on the the review in 2014 with the book of Pierre content of the second volume, work with an Fauchard (1679-1761), Le Chirurgien original character, the creativity and the dentiste ou Traité des dents, which had the professional passion of the Parisian doctor first edition in 1728, the second in 1746 and taking place here. the third in 1786. Just five years after the The rigorous, precise, scientific language, appearance of the first edition, the Germans reveals the value a universe of knowledge of have translated and printed the book. The the anatomy of the mouth and dentition, Spaniards compiled him in partial translation throughout its evolution, its encountered in 1795 and 1799 the English have translated pathology, its interventions of surgical nature, his book integral in 1946, the Japanese in descriptions of the surgical techniques used, 1984, the Americans in 1969. In 1922 and but especially descriptions as precisely as 1924, George Viau rediscovered him for the possible of the medical instruments used in French (http://www2.biusante.parisdescartes. the dental surgery, mostly invented and fr/ livanc/?cote= 90960x987x02&do=livre). designed by the author. In the last article our journey was about the In the absence of the first edition, almost life, the personality, the current international impossible to find, we read patiently this

104 RomanianJournalofOralRehabilitation Vol.6,No.3,JulyͲSeptember2014 second volume of the 1786 edition, opened the composition of another chapter (II, with the King's privilege from 1723, that chapter V). Another stage, not neglected is allows the bookseller Mariette "to print again filling with suitable instruments, described and to give the public" a volume with 42 also in details, but the procedure will be illustrations of significant and not less than 26 applied with necessary prudence and chapters, with innovative information at the circumstances for success (II, chapter VI). In time of editing and who now represents a the case the area presents deep lesions, the stage in the history of the domain. surgeon will apply the technique of If the first volume is structured around two cauterization of the teeth (II, chapter VII). For coordinates, anatomy and pathology, the different reasons, the denture is not uniform: second has strict interests in methodology, the teeth overlapping, fold, bad arranged and technique and dental technology, this volume displaced, should be the subject of a specific opens the professional dialogue with the activity; they can be straight and align using colleagues: the author brings arguments other tools. These as solutions for surgeries demolishing the opinions of contemporaries are the subject to the chapter VIII. who felt that the tools of iron or steel Without naming it as is customary today, damaged teeth (II, § I); he considers them periodontitis, Fauchard, considers that also resistant, though not all are suitable; so some the teeth that are moving („les dents of them he improves, and when, for a certain chancelantes”) can be treated and offers his surgery, it misses the object, he invents it and experience related to this disease (chapter manufactures it; then he draws and describes IX): "the causes that make teeth moving are it in detail in his book. generally the tartar, blows, violent efforts or Considering that his professional activity any significant bad habits of the blood mass. is necessary as people are not aware of the If it is recognised that these causes came from importance of oral health and offer no time to tainted blood, there should be used the oral care, Pierre Fauchard started a campaign general remedies and at the same time to of convincing (I, chapter V) the colleagues, work on strengthening the teeth" („Les clients and the reader that the deposits and the causses qui rendent les dents chancelantes plaque determine alteration of teeth. So, they sont en général le tartre, les coups, les efforts must be removed with the appropriate tools; violens ou quelque vice considerable de la most of the 42 drawings include dental masse du sang. Si l'on reconnoît que ces surgical instruments (on each drawing are causes proviennent de la masse du sang vicié, more pieces, each of them being described in il faut avoir recours aux remedes generaux, et detail). The tartar must be systematically en meme tems travailler au raffermissement removed, but gently ("manière d ' opérer des dents”). métodiquement") not to alter It appears so far that at the beginning of ("sans interesser l'émail des dents") (II, the 18th century, each cleaning operation for chapter I-III). For severely affected teeth, prevention or oral intervention has the there are many grinding techniques, which he adequate instrumental set for the action in describes in detail from his own professional question. Other tools this time used in experience and the ways in which he extracting the teeth („déchaussoir, poussoir, intervenes (II, chapter IV). When the process pincettes ou davier, et levier”) are not only of alteration evolved and formed caries, it described but it is also explained their use proceed to scrape the damaged part with the (chapter X). right tools, whose description is formed by The next section of the book is considering

105 RomanianJournalofOralRehabilitation Vol.6,No.3,JulyͲSeptember2014 several types of dental forceps: a new type of prosthesis has a double character: the upper dental forceps ("pelican") and part combines with the lower part by bows "imperfections" of those who used it before (chapter XVIII). (chapter XI); the uses of the "pelican" for the We return to Pierre Fauchard's concerns of extraction of teeth, which cannot be remove dental aesthetics. We saw that whitening of as easily with other tools (chapter XII). the teeth with different substances has been Beyond prevention, hygiene, prophylaxis handled in the previous volume. Now he or treatment (debridement, caries, filling), presents a way to enamel (émailler) the teeth, Pierre Fauchard shows a major interest in but also the artificial , before offering partial or total edentation. Concerns about a more orderly and pleasant appearance manufacture of the prostheses to replace bone (chapter XIX). losses are much older than Fauchard. His More than just concerns of the prosthesis, research in this area undertake identification with technique and specific technology at the of new materials, methods of processing the time of publishing his treaty, Fauchard material so that the final product will be manifested a special interest, over the course better than the previous, innovates of four chapters, for what he called procedures, techniques and new technologies obturateur (construction and use): description for the beginning of the 18th century: missing and use of the obturator of the Palace with teeth must be replaced with others made with two parallel wings, with hinge, attached with better aesthetic ("artistement figurée") a screw, and which is positioned this (chapter XIII); invents a process of bleaching obturator (chapter XX); description and use bones at the feet of calves and subsequent of a less complicated obturator, whose wings preparation for creation of prosthesis or part are set differently from the other obturators of dental prosthesis („ou partie de dentiers and without hinges (chapter XXI); description artificiels”) (chapter XIV); other instruments and use of the third obturator without rod, in are invented, described and is shown the way part prosthesis, whose wings are different of work with them for manufacture of teeth or from the previous, and attached by a screw of some parts, and repair of caused defects by a particular structure. Also the description of natural tooth loss (chapter XV). a fourth smaller obturator (chapter XXII); Before implantation of artificial teeth, description and use of a fifth obturator with Fauchard underlines the need for the spirit of bone plate just like previous, in part observation for the surgeon: he shows what prosthesis, constructed from several pieces, must be observed for drill (percer), place or without rod, having two wings, one of which attach to natural teeth or to a part of them turns to the right and the other to the left artificial pieces: the most suitable sizes of (chapter XXIII). The Fauchard’s material each part, which serves to assembling these about this subject was examined by a group parts (chapter XVI). Moreover, he describes of British researchers in 2005 (C. D. Lynch, and explains the use of a device ("d'une C. T. MacGillycuddy, V. R. O'Sullivan, machine") which is actually an upper dental Pierre Fauchard and his rôle in the prosthesis. For its manufacturing, the inventor developement of obturators, in „British has special aesthetic concerns (artistement Dental Journal”, v. 119, nr. 9, November 12, composée). The device consists of a play 2005). mounted with bows, of or silver, which In the Pierre Fauchard’s vision, a complete includes teeth, with two semicircles and two prosthesis is a real piece of work, of whose loops of lower jaw (chapter XVII). Another invention is proud: "the description of all the

106 RomanianJournalofOralRehabilitation Vol.6,No.3,JulyͲSeptember2014 parts that make a whole new invented through the removal of tartar and of the machine, suitable to bear the teeth in the affected teeth by the destruction, sawing lower jaw, to support and maintain the (refining), removing decay and filling, superior one an artificial prosthesis; and the strengthening of the "moving teeth", description of this prosthesis" (chapter replacing the partial or total bone loss through XXIV). Another type of prosthesis forms the prosthesis and, of course, making an aesthetic structure of the next chapter: "the description work. Of all these, we should admit that the of an upper entirely artificial prosthesis, prosthesis is the field in which the attached with a lower prosthesis, partly contribution of personality and author's artificial, which match with the natural teeth inventiveness is manifested in the evidently that are still in mouth" (chapter XXV). way. These two volumes, the variety of areas Beyond the impressive scientific character approached and, especially, by inventing new for the time of publication, that would bring methods, of a specialized technology, through the author over centuries deservedly title of detailed descriptions, which are in essence "father of modern dentistry", the present recommendation of usage for the volume also impresses through a truly contemporaries for those to come he deserves modern element: what the author calls the the title given by the author: Handbook on the Table des matière is a combination of how teeth. useful can be to the reader the index terms This professional devoted to his work and associated with page, and dictionary of the welfare of the humanity had no luck in seeing specialized terms explained in detail. The his son (Jean-Baptiste) to take over the 1786 brings a touch of unquestionable experience, knowledge and, eventually, to scientific authority: the Approbation, signed take them to a higher level, as he had hoped in the name of the most representative of the for a long time. On how disciplined he was Parisian dentistry of 1725-1746, among them the father, so the Bohemian son, got himself Philippe Hecquet, Helvetius, holding the title an actor and writer, but nominally Dumesnil of „docteur-régence en la Faculte de (see Xavier Deltombes, in „Actes. Societé Medicine de ”, is in fact a real list of français d'histoire de l'art dentaire”, 2011, nr. referees, of which cannot do without the 16, p. 15-19, www.biusante.paris recommendation „de messieurs les descartes.fr/sfhad/vol.16/2011_04.pdf). The chirurgiens-jurés de Paris”. The latter found sorrow would have been lower had he known his contribution to the development of that, after the publication of his Handbook of dentistry Fauchard, towards the public good: teeth after the year 1750, French will „que cet ouvrage étoit très essentiel à la caste multiplied considerably, for he had now chirurgie et que cet auteur a écrit avec a bedside book in which they can practice that beaucoup d'intelligence sur une matière qui for two centuries will be translated not only in étoit restée jusqu à present dans l'obscurite”. Europe but also in the "New World", and we, Passing in review the composition of this at nearly 300 years after the first edition, still volume, we found that the author's look forward to his indefatigable devotion. perspective on the field is extremely wide for his composition period: sanitizing the mouth

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