Dentists and Dentistry in Ancient Egypt

Bibliographic Data

ID16969434
AuthorsCasper Greeff (University of South Africa, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume23
Issue1
Publication date2017-06-22
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal for Semitics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1013-8471 • E-ISSN: 2663-6573
PublisherUnisa Press (PUBLISHER • ZA)
DOI10.25159/1013-8471/2774
OpenAlexW414200742
LanguageEN
References cited21

This article addresses the questions of whether a dental profession existed in ancient Egyptian times, and, if so, whether they were operative dental surgeons or mere dental pharmacists? This article will confirm the first theorem, although, as in modern times, the Egyptian dentist may well have been both a dispensing practitioner, as well as an operative surgeon. Evidence from archaeological research, principally from the medical papyri, hieroglyphic inscriptions found in tombs, stelae, and physical examination reports of dental conditions in mummies and from dry skeletons are taken into account. The medical papyri's dental entries will demonstrate that dentists were mainly focussed on diagnoses and that the science was mostly pharmacopoeial in nature, providing pharmacotherapy and magical incantations. Information on operative treatment is limited and limited to the Edwin Smith papyrus. Lastly, physical evidence of prosthetic and surgical dentistry is presented as further evidence

Ancient egypt · Art · Papyrus · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Classics · Dentistry · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Medicine · Paleopathology and ancient diseases

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