The Ancient Roots of Dentistry: A New Era for Pain Management? The discovery of a 59,000 year old tooth from Chagyrskaya Cave in Russia has sent shockwaves through the medical community.
Initially thought to be an aberrant hole, the tooth is now recognized as evidence of intentional dental work – a deliberate attempt to relieve pain from a tooth infection.
This finding raises more questions than answers about our ancestors' understanding of medicine and their willingness to experiment with treatments.