Lead Denture with Porcelain Teeth, early 1800s

Item

Title

Lead Denture with Porcelain Teeth, early 1800s

Date

1800

Description

From the late 1700s through 1850, dentures were made of many materials—ivory, gold, lead, etc., and used human, animal, and ivory for teeth. Tooth decay was prominent due to the increased consumption of sugar and tobacco and contributed to a greater need for dentures, and for teeth to fill the dentures. In the early 1800s, there were reports of grave robbing, and in 1815, the Battle of Waterloo resulted in thousands of corpses that supplied large amounts of “Waterloo Teeth” for dentures.

Identifier

#9

Rights

Courtesy of UNMC College of Dentistry, through the support of the Dental Museum Fund and curated by Dr. Stanton D. Harn

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