Abstract

Ceramic restorations in dentistry (A simplified compilation)

Author(s): Prakruti Shah

Word ‘ceramic’ derived from the Greek word ‘keramos’ means ‘pots and other articles made from clay , hardened by heat . So it basically implies a material that is produced by firing or burning. During the Stone Age, more than 10,000 years ago, ceramics were necessary materials and have retained importance in human societies ever since. In 700 BC - Teeth of ivory and bone that were held in place by a gold framework were used. Animal bone and ivory from hippotamus or elephant were used for many years thereafter. Later human teeth sold by the poor and teeth obtained from dead were used to make dentures and replace missing teeth. It is interesting to note that the U. S President George Washington, in his lifetime wore two sets of spring retained dentures ; the first one was made from extracted teeth and the second one was made from hippopotamus ivory by the dentist John Greenwood.