[Aztlan] Mesoamerican dental practices

[Justin Kerr]

Dr. Guillermo Mata, a Guatemalan dentist and Mayanist, has made an extensive
study of ancient Maya dental practices. He has said in a lecture that he did
not understand how the ancients were able to drill through the tooth enamel
with probably an obsidian drill. He pointed out that among the many skulls
and jaw bones that he has collected there are many indications of pronounced
infections in the sinuses of the jaws and in some instances "blow throughs"
where the infection actually ruptured the bone. He was at a loss to
understand how the pain of these procedures (The filing of teeth as well as
the insertion of jade or obsidian beads)see 7509 in Portfolio was borne. 
Justin Kerr  

-----Original Message-----
From: aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org [mailto:aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org]
On Behalf Of Jorge Pérez de Lara Elías
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 3:32 PM
To: Aztlan
Subject: Re: [Aztlan] Mesoamerican dental practices

Dental work may not require such a safe dental environment  
necessarily. Back in 1992, I witnessed at least two extractions in  
Southern China that were carried out by impromptu dentists working on  
a curb, armed with nothing but a wooden chair (for the patient),  
common wire and pliers. I cannot say what they used for an anesthetic  
(perhaps some sort of acupuncture?), but I can attest that the  
patients didn't even wince as the extractions took place. As for  
taking something afterward against a possible infection, I can only  
speculate that they used some sort of herbal or other natural  
antibiotic. Saliva, of course, does have some anti-biotic properties  
itself.

My 2 cents.

Jorge


On Mar 31, 2009, at 12:53 PM, donald raab wrote:

> Another question.  Dental work presumes a safe dental environment.   
> Whether pulling teeth or modifying them THAT is not a small  
> process.  Do we have any indication of a dental operating theater?   
> Don't know about anybody here but the perfect cure for a dental  
> problem is just to walk in the dental office.
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