Friday 8 April 2016

Dr. Ammar Idlibi - The Father of Modern Dentistry

One of the things that Dr. Ammar Idlibi finds particularly fascinating is the history of modern dentistry. While dental practices were being carried out as early as 7000 BC, modern developments would not turn dentistry into a legitimate discipline and profession until the late 17th century. The man who led this cultivation was French surgeon, Pierre Fauchard.

Fauchard today is known as the father of modern dentistry. That is because he alone is responsible for many of the advancements the discipline needed to turn it into the profession it is today. Fauchard not only was the first to discover that sugar-derived acids were responsible for tooth decay, he also developed many modern dental tools adapted from other professions like jewel-making.

Not satisfied there, Fauchard was also a pioneer of dental prosthesis, as he figured out many creative ways to replace lost teeth. Replacement teeth were fashioned and carved from blocks of animal bone and ivory. Not only could Fauchard replace teeth, he could rearrange them as well. He would be the first to introduce dental braces. Though they were made of gold, an impractical metal, they still established the fact that teeth would follow the pattern of wires set against them.

Dr. Ammar Idlibi is a professional pediatric dentist with a passion for his field. Professional dentists look up to pioneers and role models like Fauchard because he personifies what it means to be a dedicated dentist. Idlibi even hopes to develop his own equipment and patents one day to make his own impact on the history of dentistry.