EARLY RECORDS The scientific progress of oral surgery has had high and low points over recorded history, start- ing with the hieroglyphic descriptions of frac- tures and dislocations of the facial bones in Egypt in 1700 B.C. In boo B.C., Etruscan gold wire was probably used to stabilize mandibular fractures. Hippocrates (C.460-C.375 B.C.) described man- dibular fracture treatment. The Greeks of that time are also known to have used a type of dental extraction forceps. The record of European pioneers in oral surgery shows that Ambrose Pare (15 IO-I 569) trans- planted teeth, set jaw fractures, and built obtu- rators for cleft and perforated palates. i In I 542, the Company of Barber-Surgeons received its charter from King Henry VIII, in a document still retained by the Royal College of Surgeons of England in London. Pierre Fauchard’s writings as a surgeon-dentist forecast the need for specialists in this field. Another French dentist, LeMonnier, performed and recorded the first successful repair of a cleft palate, in 1764. Ii-He used cautery and horsehair sutures. John Hunter’s writings from the eighteenth century provide a picture of oral disease and dental transplants at that time. AMERICAN BEGINNINGS THROUGH THE NINETEENTH CENTURY In the United States, a few nineteenth-century physicians recognized a need for concentrated training in the care of oral diseases. When these physicians were not accepted as specialists within the profession of medicine, two of them--Chapin A. Harris and Horace Hayden-founded the Bal- timore College of Dental Surgery in 1840 (now part of the University of Maryland). Harvard Dental School became the first to attain full uni- versity status, in 1867. The first school of den- tistry at a state university was established in Michigan in I 875. The rise of the dental profes- sion fostered the rise of the first pioneers in dental specialties. Simon P. Hullihen (1810-1857) The first individual recognized as an oral surgeon was Simon P. Hullihen of Wheeling, West Vir- ginia. He obtained a medical degree at Washing- ton Medical College of Baltimore. In 1843, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery awarded him a D.D.S. degree as honorary recognition. In his short career, Dr. Hullihen performed an amazing number and variety of oral surgery pro- cedures, in addition to designing special instru- ments and writing extensively on oral diseases and their surgical correction. Included among the afflictions he treated and described were infec- tions, jaw fractures, cleft lips and cleft palates, and trigeminal neuralgia. His surgical descrip- tions reflect an empathy and compassion that might have arisen from his own affliction, a burn deformity of his foot and leg. A mandibular os- tectomy to correct an open bite, credited as the first orthognathic surgery, was performed by Dr. Hullihen in 1849 on a young woman with a se- vere facial burn disfigurement. The first public hospital in Wheeling, char- tered in 1850, was founded by Dr. Hulhhen. After his death in 1857, rhe citizens of that city honored his memory with a monument, which still may be seen in Wood Hill Cemetery there. Edward C. Armbrecht, a Wheeling oral surgeon whose biographic research on Dr. I-Iullihen was presented to the AAOMS archives, established 2
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EARLY RECORDS
The scientific progress of oral surgery has had high and low points over recorded history, start- ing with the hieroglyphic descriptions of frac- tures and dislocations of the facial bones in Egypt in 1700 B.C. In boo B.C., Etruscan gold wire was probably used to stabilize mandibular fractures. Hippocrates (C.460-C.375 B.C.) described man- dibular fracture treatment. The Greeks of that time are also known to have used a type of dental extraction forceps.
The record of European pioneers in oral surgery shows that Ambrose Pare (15 IO-I 569) trans- planted teeth, set jaw fractures, and built obtu-
rators for cleft and perforated palates. i In I 542, the Company of Barber-Surgeons received its charter from King Henry VIII, in a document still retained by the Royal College of Surgeons of England in London. Pierre Fauchard’s writings as a surgeon-dentist forecast the need for specialists in this field. Another French dentist, LeMonnier, performed and recorded the first successful repair of a cleft palate, in 1764. Ii-He used cautery and horsehair sutures. John Hunter’s writings from the eighteenth century provide a picture of oral disease and dental transplants at that time.
AMERICAN BEGINNINGS THROUGH THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
In the United States, a few nineteenth-century physicians recognized a need for concentrated training in the care of oral diseases. When these physicians were not accepted as specialists within the profession of medicine, two of them--Chapin A. Harris and Horace Hayden-founded the Bal- timore College of Dental Surgery in 1840 (now part of the University of Maryland). Harvard Dental School became the first to attain full uni- versity status, in 1867. The first school of den- tistry at a state university was established in Michigan in I 875. The rise of the dental profes- sion fostered the rise of the first pioneers in dental specialties.
Simon P. Hullihen (1810-1857)
The first individual recognized as an oral surgeon was Simon P. Hullihen of Wheeling, West Vir- ginia. He obtained a medical degree at Washing- ton Medical College of Baltimore. In 1843, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery awarded him a D.D.S. degree as honorary recognition.
In his short career, Dr. Hullihen performed an amazing number and variety of oral surgery pro- cedures, in addition to designing special instru- ments and writing extensively on oral diseases and their surgical correction. Included among the afflictions he treated and described were infec- tions, jaw fractures, cleft lips and cleft palates, and trigeminal neuralgia. His surgical descrip- tions reflect an empathy and compassion that might have arisen from his own affliction, a burn deformity of his foot and leg. A mandibular os- tectomy to correct an open bite, credited as the first orthognathic surgery, was performed by Dr. Hullihen in 1849 on a young woman with a se- vere facial burn disfigurement.
The first public hospital in Wheeling, char- tered in 1850, was founded by Dr. Hulhhen. After his death in 1857, rhe citizens of that city honored his memory with a monument, which still may be seen in Wood Hill Cemetery there. Edward C. Armbrecht, a Wheeling oral surgeon whose biographic research on Dr. I-Iullihen was presented to the AAOMS archives, established
2
Simon P. Hullihen’s office sign which appeared in Wheeling, West Virginia about 1846
the I-L&hen Memorial Lecture and Award at West Virginia Dental School in 1974, with the cosponsorship of the West Virginia Oral Surgery Society.
Dr. Hullihen insisted that “The dentist must carry upward the standard of his profession and plant it upon the broad platform of medical sci- ence; he must claim for himself and his profession the same respect and importance awarded to other branches of the healing arts, and that too upon the same ground-the ground of a thorough sci- entific education. ”
James E. Garret~on (1825-1895)
Dr. Garretson is known as the father of oral sur- gery, because he named the specialty and, in 1869, wrote the thousand-page textbook Diseuse
James E. Garretson (1825-I895), known as the Father of Oral Surgery
und Surgery of MO.&, Juws und Associated PHS, which appeared in subsequent editions as A sys- tern of Oral Surgery. This book went through six editions, the last of which appeared in 1898. Dr. Garretson’s degrees in medicme and dentistry were from the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia College of Dentistry (now the Tem- ple University School of Dentistry). He was pro- fessor of anatomy and oral surgery and became dean of the dental school in 1880. Dr. Garretson brought great dignity to the dental profession. A highly skilled surgeon, he recommended in- traoral surgical approaches to avoid facial scars. He also advocated the use of the dental engine for operations on bone.
Truman W, BropBmy (I8&3-I908)
Dr. Brophy attained world fame as an oral sur- geon, contributed to dental and medical litera- ture, and organized the Chicago College of Den-
Truman W. Brcphy (184%I908), Professor of Oral Surgery and Dean, Chicago College of Dentai Surgery
4
Forefatt5ers
tal Surgery. He served that institution for forty ated Parts, published in 1915, was outstanding. years as professor of oral surgery and as dean. His Many others in the field sought his knowledge textbook titled Oral Saygery: A Tredtise on Disease, and trained with him, because he dominated the Injuries and Malfomations of the Mo.z& and Associ- field of oral cleft surgery for many years.
TWENTIETH-CENTURY PIONEERS
Chalmers J. Lyons (1874-1935)
Dr. Lyons, who studied under Truman Brophy, was a leader in dental education at the University of Michigan. Encouraged by Dr. Cyrenus Dar- ling, chief of surgery, he established a residency training program for oral surgeons at the Univer- sity of Michigan Hospital in 19 17. This depart- ment was recognized by the Regents of the Uni- versity.
Dr. Lyons developed the largest oral cleft prac- tice in the country and contributed extensively to the specialty’s literature. He was professor of oral surgery at Michigan from I 9 17 to 1935. In 1927, the Chalmers J. Lyons Academy was es- tablished by his former trainees. This academy has been prominent in the specialty, and since 1952 it has sponsored the Chalmers J. Lyons Me- morial Lecture at the Annual Scientific Sessions of the AAOMS.
Dr. Lyons was a beloved and dedicated teacher who followed important principles of surgery and contributed much to the specialty and its prog-
Chalmers J. Lyons (1874-19351, Professor of Oral Surgery, University of Michigan
ress. In 1921, Dr. Lyons was made an honorary member of the American Society of Oral Surgeons and Exodontists.
Matthew H. Cryer (1840-1921)
Dr. Cryer, an outstanding student of James Gar- retson, was professor of oral surgery at the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania. He had served as a cav- alryman with General Sheridan in the Civil War and had obtained a dental degree from Philadel-
Matthew M. Cryer (I%J--I92J), founder of first complete hospital dental service in America at Philadelphia General Hospital
phia Dental College in 1876. The next year he obtained a medical degree. Then Dr. Cryer went on to study anatomy and published lnterndk Arzat- onzy of the Face, in I 90 I . He also founded the first complete hospital dental service in America, at Philadelphia General Hospital in I 90 I.
Thomas L. Gilmer (1848-1931)
Dr. Gilmer introduced principles and techniques of intermaxillary fixation for treatment of jaw
