Dental Ledger & Odontogram Gold Inlay X-Ray 1920s NYC Porcelain Bridge
$ 11.09
Description
Dental Ledger & Odontogram Gold Inlay X-Ray 1920s NYC Porcelain Bridge. The paper shows slight brittleness toward the edges, along with moderate toning, edge wear, and other signs of age and storage. There are also references to porcelain inlays, which were a more aesthetic option for anterior restorations in this era. This vintage dental record is a combined odontogram and payment ledger, offering a detailed snapshot of early twentieth-century restorative dentistry and private practice accounting. The card is pre-printed for a patient’s name and address, with a full dental chart on one side and a tabular ledger for tracking services, debits, and credits on the other. The item has been folded along its original creases and may be shipped in that folded state. The paper shows slight brittleness toward the edges, along with moderate toning, edge wear, and other signs of age and storage. The odontogram, or tooth chart, is a central feature of this record, using period markings to document the patient’s dental condition. The chart records a number of filled and restored teeth, with several marked for gold fillings and gold inlays, indicating a focus on durable restorative work. There are also references to porcelain inlays, which were a more aesthetic option for anterior restorations in this era. The chart notes a few missing teeth and some planned or completed crown and bridgework, including a jacket crown. The ledger entries list specific procedures such as gold inlays, amalgam fillings, prophylaxis or cleaning, X-rays, and extractions, alongside the associated fees. One entry records a payment for a “reset crown,” suggesting an adjustment or repair to existing dental work. The presence of X-rays on the ledger is notable, as dental radiography was still a relatively modern diagnostic tool in the early 1900s. The card is a named patient record, and while the full street address is not reproduced here, the document includes a city reference that may be of interest to local historians or genealogists. The billing entries show a range of fees for individual procedures, providing insight into the cost of private dental care at the time. The combination of a clinical tooth chart with a financial ledger on a single card was a practical tool for dentists, allowing them to track both treatment history and patient payments in one place. This item is an excellent example of early dental office ephemera, appealing to collectors of medical and dental history, as well as those researching the history of restorative dentistry, period billing practices, or the professional archives of a specific practice. PLEASE NOTE: This item may be shipped according to how it was originally folded.
