Name/Title
ToothkeyEntry/Object ID
2019.020.0004Description
19th Century "Toothkey"
The dental key is an instrument that was used in dentistry to extract diseased teeth. Before the era of antibiotics, dental extraction was often the method of choice to treat dental infections, and extraction instruments date back several centuries.
A tooth key also known as a dental key is an instrument that was used in dentistry to extract diseased teeth. Modeled after a door key, the tooth key was used by first inserting the instrument horizontally into the mouth, its claw tightened over a tooth and then rotated to loosen the tooth. The original design dating back to the 1700s featured a straight shaft, which caused it to exert pressure on the tooth next to the one being extracted. This led to a newer design in 1765 by Ferdinand Julius Leber where the shaft was slightly bent. The tooth key presented here is one of the newer designs with a slightly bent shaft.Collection
Benicia Historical Museum Collection
