[Odontopaediatrics in Francisco Martínez's work]

In 1557 Francisco Martinez published the first Spanish treatise on odontology under the title "A brief conversation on matters of dentistry and the marvelous natural workmanship of the mouth". This is the first text in the Spanish medical literature ever to have contained recommendations concerning the care and attention to be given to the mouth of children. The present article analyzes the ideas on dental anatomy, extractions, as well as on preventive and preservative odontology for children, that are expounded in Martinez's text.