Victorian-Era Dentures in Brisbane, Australia

Area of Science:

• Archaeological Science
• Materials Science
• History of Dentistry

Background:

• Limited formal publications exist on Victorian-era dentures in Australia.
• Archaeological evidence of 19th-century dentures in Australia is scarce, with only ten units reported from eight individuals.
• A salvage excavation at the North Brisbane Burial Grounds (NBBG) uncovered two metal- and two vulcanite-based dentures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct the first detailed analysis of 19th-century dentures from Australia.
• To investigate the composition and laboratory technology of four dentures from the NBBG.
• To provide insights into dental practices and technologies in Victorian-era Brisbane.

Main Methods:

• Compilation of an extensive literature review and historical research.
• Macroscopic inspection of the denture artifacts.
• Analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX).

Main Results:

• The analyzed NBBG dentures represent half of all known 19th-century Australian retrieved dentures.
• The study includes the only two alloy-based dentures recovered from 19th-century Australian cemeteries.
• Detailed material composition and technological insights were obtained for the NBBG denture assemblage.

Conclusions:

• This research significantly contributes to the understanding of historical dental prosthetics in Australia.
• The findings illuminate the materials and techniques employed in Victorian-era dental laboratories in Brisbane.
• The study highlights the rarity and importance of the NBBG denture finds for historical dental research.