Gold Dental Bridges in Ancient Rome
Smile—Ancient Romans could flash gold dental work.
Unknown — "Cameo: Head of a Woman" (1–100 CE), CC0
Gold Wire Holding Ancient Teeth
In some Roman cemeteries, archaeologists have unearthed skulls with teeth bound together using gold wire. It's not just ancient bling—it's prosthetic dentistry, with real skeletons as proof.
Ancient Solutions to Dental Woes
Dental wear was brutal in ancient Rome—bread grit and stone-milled flour did a number on molars. Instead of just pulling bad teeth, some Romans had their dentists wire them securely, creating what may be the world’s oldest known dental bridges.
Archaeologists have found Roman skulls with teeth fixed in place by delicate gold wire—a sign of early dental prosthetics. This isn't a myth: At least two such skeletons, from a Roman necropolis at ancient Torre Velia, have survived. Dental problems were common due to sugarless but gritty diets. Ancient Roman dentists weren't just pulling teeth—they were wiring them back in, centuries before dentistry as we know it.
