It?s strange to believe, but early mankind had far fewer problems with their teeth. The introduction of more sugar into the average diet during the industrial era of the 18th century (sugar consumption per capita rose 500 per cent) saw a rise in the problems people faced in regards to the health of their teeth.

There is evidence to suggest that ancient Egyptians created their own form of dentures. They used gold wire to thread real human teeth into something of what we have come to know as a denture, in order to replace missing teeth. However to replace teeth in Mexico, animal teeth were used rather than human.

In Europe, both animal and human teeth were bound with gold wire to create this ancient form of dentures. This mechanism was easily broken but just as easily made and repaired. This early practice would remain the standard in Europe until the Renaissance period of the mid-1800?s.

Japan is known for producing history?s oldest known pair of complete dentures, which was a set of wooden teeth that historians trace back to the Ganjyoji Temple in Kii Province. The dentures had almost the same shape as modern dentures, and attached inside the mouth with suction.

Natural materials like walrus, elephant or hippopotamus tusk became popular in the 1700s for making dentures to combat the rise in dental problems due to the rise in sugar consumption. U.S President George Washington even wore dentures made of ivory.

Later on in the 1800?s, human teeth were popular sources of replacement teeth. These teeth were first taken from dead soldiers after the 1815 Battle of Waterloo when Napoleon Bonaparte?s troops faced off against British and Prussian forces. Such teeth came to be known as ?Waterloo Teeth?.

Several dentists had experimented with porcelain dentures, and in 1820, a Westminster goldsmith named Claudius Ash mounted porcelain on 18-karat gold plates, with gold springs and swivels. These dentures were a turning point in denture history as they were both aesthetically and functionally superior to older models.

For those who could not afford the porcelain dentures mounted on 18-karat gold plates, Ash also sold sets he made from vulcanite, a form of hardened rubber. From the 1850s onward, dentures were mainly made of this vulcanite. This kind of denture was the most popular until the 20th century when acrylic resin became the materials of choice.

In 1952 a renowned orthopedic surgeon in Sweden, Per-Ingvar Branemark, discovered titanium?s remarkable ability to fuse to human bone. This moved the field of dentistry beyond removable prostheses.

It is in the nature of the denture field to always be changing and moving forward. We will always be looking for ways to improve current models and create dentures that are more and more indistinguishable from their ancient counterparts. Dentures have had an interesting history, but what is far more fascinating is their future.