PDA

View Full Version : Japanese Dental History?



John Lindsey
30th January 2003, 00:53
Today, I happened to have two broken teeth pulled. It was lots of fun and I think everyone should go through it...NOT. Seriously, I have heard horror stories about Japanese dentists, but have never heard the history of dentistry in Japan.

Here is a bit of info on the history of tooth extractions:

In primitive societies teeth have been extracted with a chisel-shaped piece of wood held against the tooth and pounded with a mallet. Early Chinese tooth-pullers used their fingers, strengthening them for the task by spending hours pulling nails out of planks. The ancient Greeks used double-level forceps 300 B.C. while the Romans used forceps of various designs, including a thin-root forceps, and pliers to remove small pieces. Abulcasis (963-1013), an Arab surgeon from Spain, illustrated a number of dental extraction devices in his eleventh-century Treatise on Medicine and Surgery, including elevator chairs, forceps, and lancets for loosening the gum. Johann Schrenk of Germany used and described an instrument called a pelican - a form of forcepts - in 1481, and a similar device had been illustrated by famed surgeon Guy de Chauliac (c. 1300-1370).


In fourteenth-century England barber-surgeons regularly extracted teeth, and their familiar red-and-white barber poles - advertisements they used to indicate they would also bleed the sick - were sometimes adorned with teeth they had pulled.

John Lindsey
30th January 2003, 01:09
The following are some comments by a Japanese national on his dental care system:

Japanese dentistry is managed on the system called every people insurance (governmental insurance). Japanese ministry of Public Welfare regard governmental insurance as almighty. But it is not impossible. That delusion makes peculiarity of japanese dentistry.
Treatment by japanese governmental insurance is piecework. The more dentist treats,the more dentist earns income. But,of cource good treatment needs more time.
A dentist who aim at good treatment in japanese governmental insurance
system,must endure low income.


For example a reward for root-canal treatment of front tooth is
only $15(\2000),molar is $50(\6500),in japanese governmental insurance system.
Sure,that reward is given for all process
from removing caries dentin to root-canal filling.
Unbelievable low charge!


Because the dentist who want to earn much money would like to finish
his work as soon as possible.
Therefore,almost all of japanese root-canal treatment is poor.
I consider ratio of condensing root-canal filling is lower
than that of other countries.
Paste filling has done yet!
Many treated teeth are relapsed.


There is a proverb interpreted next sentence in Japan.
Doctor must not earn the money.(E Wa jinjyutu)
Japanese people mentions to that proverb.
And they inclines to despise rich doctor.
But they should not despise riches of doctor,
they should despise riches by skimping
and system that good job can't earn much money.


The dentist who aim at both of good treatment and rich man,
does non-insurance-treatment.


What is non-insurance-treatment?
Defective part of japanese governmental insurance is ceramometal
prosthesis,prosthesis with precious metal,orthodontics,inplant
metalplate,and GTRmethod.
That part called non-insurance-treatment.
Occationally non-insurance-treatment is expensive.
That cost make up for a loss of japanese governmental insurance treatment.


Why can't governmental insurance include those treatment?
Because Japanese ministry of Public Welfare say we don't have a source of revenue.
I don't know that is truth or lie.
Japanese dentist's income by governmental insurance is decreacing
for recent 20years.
Now financial conditions of japanese dentists are tight.

Jody Holeton
30th January 2003, 01:32
True story time!


My old girlfriend from Shiga-ken came to live with me in AMerica for a year (98-99).

I took her to my American Dentist, Dr.Forgete (great dentist). He had to give her root canal work on 3 of her teeth that had had Japanese dental work done to them.

He was shocked at the state of her teeth AND found a piece of cotton in one of her old root canals!

She was quite happy with the dental work she recieved in America!

Why is the health care system so Mickey Mouse here in Japan?
Lack of education?
Lack of common sense?
An aversion to foreign practices?

KhawMengLee
10th February 2003, 08:11
yup, I saw teeth like that when I was in China. The girls were very pretty up until the point where they smiled...

Never expected to see the same in Japan because for a developed nation its well...urm...unexpected.

I suppose it comes down to education and upbringing...

MarkF
10th February 2003, 11:17
Medicine in Japan is generally lacking and dentistry is no different. Read about Arthur A. Tansley's experience with a Japanese Hospital. I don't have the web site anymore, but it should be easy to find.


In primitive societies teeth have been extracted with a chisel-shaped piece of wood held against the tooth and pounded with a mallet.

While the material of the mallet and chisel is up to date, they are still used in dental extraction surgery today. It is mainly the three root molars in which they are necessary, but I've had a couple extracted and the dentist did use a mallet and chisel. Good dentist, outrageously expensive.

Some things never change. Why is dentistry so bad in many countries? Price a decent dentist and it should be obvious. I've seen absolutely horrible things done to people here in New Mexico who sometimes are hospitalized due to infections picked up from the use of non-sterilized tools and/or just badly done dental surgery. Root canals often become infected even with the best of them. The probem is whether to close the hole made so it doesn't become infected, or to leave it open because there is an infection. A "gum flap"-type procedure rarely leads to this problem, but it is a much more radical procedure.

Make sure you get your Percocet.;)


Mark