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Procedures and Techniques - Dental
In 1895 John Shaw Billings persuaded the American Dental Association to adopt the Army Medical Museum as the repository for study materials related to the field of dentistry. As a result, the Museum has an excellent collection documenting dentistry in the 19th century. More recently the museum has collaborated with the National Association of Dental Laboratories to expand the 20th century material. Dental items comprise approximately five percent of the collection.
HC 42
- Dental High Speed Technique, 1860-1910
- Approximately 20 items.
- Includes a clockwork dental drill made by George Harrington in 1864; the first electric dental drill, invented by G.F. Green in 1871; and dental office equipment dating from ca. 1860 to the turn of the century.
HC 43
- Dentistry, Operative, 1890-present
- Approximately 55 items.
- Includes examples of amalgam as well as the tools developed to mix and pack dental fillings.
HC 44
- Diagnosis, Oral, 1910-present
- Approximately 15 items.
- Included are a small number of mouth mirrors and oral illuminators.
HC 45
- Endodontics, 1890-1930
- Approximately 15 items.
- Includes a small number of root canal therapy items.
HC 46
- Jaw Relation Record, 1910-present
- Approximately 35 items.
- A collaboration with the National Association of Dental Laboratories has resulted in a large collection of articulators, notably the Hagman Balancer, the first articulator designed by a dental technician, Harry Hagman.
HC 47
- Periodontics, 1890-1970
- Approximately 42 items
- Included are scalers and other items used to clean teeth.
HC 48
- Preventative Dentistry, 1950-1980
- Approximately 10 items.
- The collection includes a small number of toothbrushes and dental floss rolls.
HC 49
- Prosthodontics, 1700-present
- Approximately 160 items.
- Includes a wide range of dental casts, many made in the late 19th century, and dental impression trays, including a small tray made for making an impression of the mouth of circus performer "Prince Tinymite" in 1892. Included are dentures made of a variety of media, such as wood, ivory, metal, porcelain, vulcanite, and acrylic. Highlights include dentures made for General John Pershing in the 1920s, hand carved wooden dentures made in Japan in the 18th century, and examples of home-made dentures.
HC 50
- Surgery, Oral, 1800-present
- Approximately 115 items.
- Primarily includes instruments for the extraction of teeth. Highlights include an assortment of early 19th century turnkeys, a set of dental elevators belonging to Paul Revere, and an emergency dental kit designed for the U.S. Air Force Dynasoar project (predecessor to the Space Shuttle) in the late 1950s. Also included are maxillofacial appliances used by the U.S. Army during World War I.
HC 51
- Technology, Dental, 1910-present
- Approximately 200 items.
- These artifacts, related to the construction of dental prostheses by dental technicians, have been collected with the assistance of the National Association of Dental Laboratories. Highlights of the collection include the Ney surveyor, the first production dental surveyor; a Gambrill denture grinder, used to break in a set of dentures; a Lewis vulcanizer, for curing vulcanite dentures; and an assortment of denture flasks.
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