Early Christians prayed to Saint Apollonia of Alexandria (A.D. 249) for pain relief, and she became the Patron Saint of Dentistry.
During the dark days of the Middle Ages, monks, along with barbers, became physicians and dentists. However, when a pope ruled in 1163 that this was not suitable for monks, the barbers took over completely. The barber-surgeon did extractions along with itinerant groups called tooth drawers, who operated in the public square. Many of these were spectacular showmen, such as "le grand Thomas" who appeared in Paris during the time of Louis XV (1710-1774). These practitioners developed a number of tools, although they knew very little about anatomy. It was the famous anatomist Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564) who described teeth and the chambers.
French surgeon Pierre Fauchard (1678-1761), recognized as the father of scientific dentistry, realized the condition of the teeth related to health in general. He was not just interested in extraction, but devised techniques that included drilling, filling, filing, transplanting, dentures, cosmetic tooth straightening, and surgery of the jaws and gums. He set an agenda for decades of development.
While many developments affected dentistry, the major advance was the discovery of anesthesia.
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