Francis Wharton was far from civilization when he found himself needing a pair of dentures. Never at a loss, the resourceful hunter and inventor, shot a deer and then used its teeth to make a set of dentures for himself. Wharton filed down the deer’s teeth, then put them into a base of plastic wood, and held them in place with household cement. Once he got the dentures done, Wharton proceeded to cook the deer and eat it with his new choppers. Just in case you’re feeling a bit rugged yourself, the advice from professionals is not to try this at home. Dr. Bruce Ward with the B.C. Dental Association says he can’t even count the number of things wrong with the story, though it’s an impressive one. He went on to explain that someone making their own dentures would need to make sure they fit right in order to avoid ulcers and painful sores, and would have to worry about whether or not the materials are sterile. Dr. Ward acknowledges that the reason people don’t get dentures is most often because of the inability to afford them. He recommends looking for a good dental school, or a dentist who will offer a payment plan. “I don’t think going out and killing a deer and making your own dentures is a viable option these days,” said Dr. Ward.
