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HISTOEY OF DENTAL SURGERY 251

Audibran and Desirabode are of the opinion that Fauchard was the in-
ventor of mineral teeth, although Audibran is not so positive as to Fauchard
having made them, but says he suggested it—if he did not practice it—in
J 738.
Foucou decried De Chemant's mineral teeth, but fifteen years later came
out in favor of them, and gave to the profession all his recipes, in 1808, to
excite emulation, and he has the credit of first making the matter public. He
was one of the members of the committee appointed by the Academy of Sur-
gery to report on De Chemant's presentation, and was led to experimenting
and finally was rewarded with success. He produced dentures of three prin-
cii)al shades, bluish white, grayish white, and yellowish white, these being of
course susceptible to variations in coloring.
Up to this time the mineral paste or porcelain dentures were made in
one piece. The next step was the making of the individual teeth separately,
which was first announced by Fonzi in 1808. He also introduced the use of
platinum pins, which were placed in the teeth before baking. For these im-
provements the Atheneum of Art granted to him a medal and crown on March
14, 1808, on the report of M. Fabre, M. D., who was not a dentist. He also
received a favorable report from the Academy of Medicine. He called his
teeth "terro-metallic," and oft'ered to supply them to his confreres at a just
price.
In 1805 Delabarre pulilishcd "Prosthetic Dentistry," which was probably
the first work devoted especially to this subject. It contains forty-two well
executed plates.
In 1807 Maggiolo was probably the first to describe in France the methods
of taking a wax impression, already described by Purmann of Breslau a cen-
tury before. He also used rings which he called lateral springs.
In 1840 Dr. F. Maury says: "Odontotechny is carried to a greater de-
gree of excellence at this present day than it ever attained in former times,
yiarticularly in our country where it has become so good and so general as to
be considered an art. The materials which have been used in constructing
artificial teeth are bones and the teeth of tlie ox, horse, sheep, stag and other
animals: ivory, mother-of-pearl, teeth of the hippopotamus, whale, human
teeth and incorruptible teeth made of mineral paste. The femur of the ox was
used after being cleansed in clay and exposed to the dew to whiten. If teeth of
oxen and horses are used, they should be chosen from old animals because the
central cavity is smaller than in the young ones ; hence they are more solid and
better adapted for the reception of pivots, by which they are to be attached to
the artificial base. Partial, and sometimes complete sets are made of ivory which