A. De La Barre announced an improvement in dentures in his 1852 book, De la Gutta-Percha, et de son application aux Dentures Artificielles... Gutta-percha is a latex substance produced by certain Malaysian trees and is rubber-like in texture. In this development, the false teeth were placed in a gutta-percha base, which must have been more comfortable than the heavy metal bases that were used at the time. This book explains the uses of gutta-percha in general, and its applications to dentistry in particular. Antiquariaat Forum tells us that this substance was only used for a short while as superior vulcanized rubber replaced it. Item 10. €2,350 (US $3,179).

J. Didier offered the latest advances in making artificial teeth as 1846 in Mémoire sur de nouvelles Dents et de nouveaux Dentiers en Pate Minéro-Adamantine... This work proposed a new mineral paste which could be used to fashion the teeth. Presented to the Royal Academy of Sciences, this paper explains how the new material will make dentures beautiful, clean, durable, and perfectly adjusted. Everything that real teeth aren't. Didier also provides advice on the care of both adult and baby teeth. Item 12. €2,100 (US $2,839).

To check on all of the Antiquriaat Forum's new acquisitions, and most have nothing to do with the subject of dentistry, go to their website at www.forumrarebooks.com and click, "Browse our recent acquisitions."