The unearthed smile: examining an 18th/19th century fixed dental bridge from the 3rd Order of Our Lady of Carmo burial site (Porto, Portugal).

Abstract: This study investigates a fixed dental bridge and explores the medical management of oral disease in 18th and 19thcentury Portugal. The bridge, alongside the remains of an adult individual of indeterminate sex, was exhumed from a burialsite in Porto, Portugal, which was in use between 1801 and 1869. Although the skeletal remains were well preserved andfairly complete, the maxilla was found to be edentulous and the mandible missing, with only two teeth found loose: thelower left first premolar and lower left second molar. The bridge was analysed using macro stereomicroscopy, multiscaleX-ray micro-CT imaging, X-ray diffraction and non-destructive ZooMS. The bridge (24x6x12 mm), which is made from bone(possibly from the Bovidae or Cervidae family), displays the outline of three rudimentary ‘teeth’ and features two holes oneach side. Micro-CT imaging and X-ray diffraction respectively identified an embedded material inside the top left cornermade of lead compounds, primarily pyromorphite and cerussite. Considering the overall shape and the edentulous maxilla,it is probable that the bridge was either fitted over the right mandibular incisors and canine or served as a substitute forthem. However, the absence of the mandible and all of the mandibular teeth apart from the left first premolar and leftsecond molar currently prevents confirmation of either possibility. This study provides valuable insights into 18th and 19thcentury dental procedures, notably marking the first known instance of such a bridge in Portuguese history. This poster was presented at The 25th Annual Conference of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (6-8 September 2024) at Keele Hall, Keele University, United Kingdom.