Since the time of the early Egyptian and Greek civilizations, attempts at orthodontics have been recorded. From 400 BC Hippocrates commented on irregularities and then a Roman called Celsus 400 years later observed the movements of teeth under pressure.
          
          The first probable mechanical treatment was suggested by “Pliny the Elder”, who in the first century AD advocated filing teeth to make them appear level.From that point in history nothing important really happened with regards to teeth that was worth recording, as the western world entered the ‘Dark Ages’. I can’t comment on the Eastern world who I am sure would have had some documentation of their own remedies and theories.


          
In the 17th century a Frenchman called Pierre Fauchard (1678-1761) started to put dentistry on a scientific foundation, publishing the first real text book. He came up with “Fauchard’s Bandeau”, which was used for arch expansion and this lead to the title being given to him as the “Father of Orthodontia”. The same principals were used by Edward Angle and are still being used today.
          
 Later in the same tine era an Englishman, John Hunter made some of the greatest advances in Dentistry and one of his students, Joseph Fox made notable contributions to Orthodontics, devoting 4 chapters to his book in 1814, and he was the first to classify malocclusion in 1803.During these early times all emphasis was placed on correction in the maxilla and little attention was placed on the mandibular.
  
              Over the next 50 years or so various Europeans worked on other theories and treatments.Christophe-Francois Delabarre, J.M. Alexis Schange, both French and a German, Freidrich Christophe Kneisel, wo was the first to use plaster models to record the malocclusions and probably the first to use a removable appliance.  
            In 1840 Chaplin A. Harris published “The Dental Art”, in which he included using knobs soldered to bands to turn teeth…rotations.At a similar time Vulcanite was being discovered after an accident at a Good Year plant, this started to be used in dental appliances.Late in the 1800’s Eugene Solomon Talbot used for the first time X-rays for problems in Orthodontics, but the big
advances were to come in the next century!

          During the 20th Century, Edward Angle who became one of the driving forces in Orthodontics, came up with the first system of classifications for malocclusions and contributed greatly to the design of new appliances.

  
 

          During this century associations were created, journals started and the first Nylon bristle tooth brush invented. Stainless Steel was to be accepted for use in the mouth, thus reducing the cost of some previous treatments that relied on Gold and Silver.
Another revolution was started in the 1970’s when advances in adhesives allowed new brackets to be designed and be directly bonded to the teeth, eliminating greatly the use of bands and therefore reducing the “metal grin” effect.

          In 1972 the original Straight-Wire Appliance (SWA) became available and Andrews became known for the preadjusted bracket system. Roth helped with modifications and these were regarded as the next generation of preadjusted brackets.
Between 75 and 93 Mclaughlin and Bennet spent the best part of 15 years refining treatment mechanics, including sliding mechanics and the continuous use of light forces for labial orthodontics.

          It is also in this period that two Dr’s almost simultaneously started experimenting with Lingual Orthodontics…placing the brackets on the inside of the mouth! Dr Craven Kurz was pushed this way by a very demanding Play boy model who, wanted to improve her smile but did not want to see any brackets. Dr Kinya Fujita of Japan had started doing “Invisible Braces” or rather the more discreet “Lingual Braces” and Ormco quickly mobilized a task force for the improvement of the technique and the manufacture of special brackets. A series of brackets were developed and patents made in 76. Ormco started to manufacture in 79. The Kurz generation brackets were developed from Generation 1 in ‘76 through to Gen 7 at the present, with important stages at gen 4 introducing the bite plane which reduced bonding failures through the re-distribution of the bite forces.

            Competition was stiff as the Lingual technique was difficult to master and a new clear stain free labial bracket was launched called the ‘Starfire’

            The lingual sector fought back and the French Association was founded in 1986, followed by the ALOA in 87 and ESLO in 1992.  Smaller classes concentrated on the clinical side…but what happened with regards to the lab techniques?

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