9,000-Year-Old Dental Drill Is Found

Yahoo (AP) ^ | Wed Apr 5, 1:05 PM ET | SETH BORENSTEIN

[beyond the sea]

I wish the Stooges would come in a complete DVD set.

LOL!

When I watch tv, I watch it in bed ............ If the Stooges would come in a complete DVD, I'd NEVER get out of bed!

The Three Stooges were FABULOUS.............

[aruanan]

I guess it wasn't carbide or high speed steel.

[Chances Are]

And I bet Dr. Urk, DDS, is still waiting for his claim to be processed by the dental insurance company.

There is absolutely no evidence that insurance firms back then were being run by the same Neanderthals we experience today.

Absolutely none whatsoever!!!!!

CA....

[Chances Are]

There's this guy sitting in the chair at the dentist's office, waiting for the dentist to start working on him.

As the dentist moves in with the drill, all of a sudden the patient reaches out and grabs the dentist by the crotch and says, "Tell me now, Doc, we're not going to hurt each other now, are we?"

CA....

[knews_hound]

I had a sneaking suspicion there was a joke lurking in there somewhere.

Thanks for the laugh,

knewshound

http://www.knewshound.blogspot.com/

[rdl6989]

I'm guessing that the invention of the drill only briefly preceded the development of some sort of anesthesia. A heavy stick swung against the head would worked well as a primative narcotic. Thanks for explaining that to me. I wondered how they treat the pain. I can imagine how much that would hurt. Then again maybe they just chewed on cloves.

[Cementjungle]

Flint drill heads were found on site.

Does this mean the patients (who's skulls were found at this site) died during the proceedure?

[Cementjungle]

I have not used Novocaine for simple cavities in over 20 years.

A past girlfriend of mine always did that too. I could never understand why and it gives me the willies just thinking about doing that!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

It's a trade off. A little bit of short term pain in exchange for being able to go directly to work and not worry about chewing your tongue raw.

[Centurion2000]

I wonder if they had some plant that dulled the pain of the ancient dentists.

Opium poppies are grown around there I think.

[knews_hound]

FYI, the actual drill hurts not at all.

It is typically the heat you feel from the Doc drilling the same spot. Once I explain that if they simply drill then back off, then drill then back off, it hurts as much as a hangnail.

The constant pressure on a single spot is what is causing you pain, not the drilling.

Think about it, teeth have no nerves, how could it hurt?

Cheers,

knewshound

[Cementjungle]

It's a trade off. A little bit of short term pain in exchange for being able to go directly to work and not worry about chewing your tongue raw.

My GF's reasoning was more along the lines of "The pain reinforces to myself the need for good dental hygene". She saw it as some sort of self-inflicted penalty for getting a cavity.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I take care of my teeth so I am not into penance.

But I hate that numb rubbery feeling and I worry that if I talk or chew anything for about four hours I could conceivably do damage to my cheek or tongue.

[Cementjungle]

But I hate that numb rubbery feeling and I worry that if I talk or chew anything for about four hours I could conceivably do damage to my cheek or tongue.

I understand. I definately have a "drinking problem" for a few hours after novacaine.

[uglybiker]

Well, this was a timely post to read in view of the fact that I have an 11 AM appointment this morning to have a far left molar extracted.

I know how ya feel! I had a wisdom tooth yanked last week.

I was never accused of using it much, anyways. ;-)

[TomB]

1) does this mean that dentistry has now replaced prostitution as the world's oldest prefession?

Given the similarities, I never thoght there was a doubt...

2) how do we know this was dentistry at all? It could just as well have been form of torture, or punishment, much as dentistry is in modern times....

Refer back to my previous answer. ;-)

[TomB]

Think about it, teeth have no nerves, how could it hurt?

Not to be pedantic here, but did you sleep through that day in health class where they taught the 3 parts of the tooth, enamel, dentin, and pulp?

The pulp is a bundle of nerves and blood vessels. What's more, the dentin has fluid filled tubules that run from the pulp to the dentinal surface. The nerve grows projections into those tubules, and that is why you feel pain when your tooth is drilled on. That is also why teeth are sensitive when the gum recedes.

But you are correct that constant pressure causes pain, but that is because the high speed drill spins so fast that is causes heat to be built up, even with the water spray. A light, intermittent touch can alleviate that heat, and thus, pain.

[TomB]

I guess it wasn't carbide or high speed steel

maybe diamond