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Vesalius discovered that the lower jaw is only one bone, not two. This contradicted the previous belief that the lower jaw was two bones. This ignited the pathway to a more advanced understanding of the human jaw, especially in orthodontics.
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French dentist Pierre Fauchard, who is often credited with inventing modern orthodontics, published a book entitled "The Surgeon Dentist" on methods of straightening teeth. He used a "Blandeau", which is a horseshoe shaped device that helped to expand the arch.
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During the 1970's, the first modern metal-on teeth bracket braces were employed. Without the previous work done in orthodontics and anatomy, this advancement wouldn't be possible. It was the beginning of really efficient and effective orthodontic procedures.
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Thanks to all of these discoveries, we can now manipulate teeth and the jaw to get the results we want. We have much more control over our bodies than we used to. Fixing our teeth allows us to have a strong jaw that can chew food and be cleaned more easily.