The discovery of a fine gold wire woven between the teeth of a medieval man in Aberdeen has provided researchers with the earliest known evidence of restorative dentistry in Scotland. The intricate dental work, which functioned much like a modern dental bridge, sheds light on the extraordinary lengths to which people in the past would go to maintain their smiles and social standing.
The remarkable find was made during the reassessment of skeletal remains excavated from the East Kirk of St Nicholas Kirk in Aberdeen. According to a new study published in the British Dental Journal, the remains belong to a middle-aged adult male who lived sometime between 1460 and 1670 AD. While the individual suffered from generally poor oral health, including multiple carious lesions, it is the 20-carat gold ligature fixed to his lower incisors that has captured the attention of archaeologists and dental historians alike.
Gold wire ligature on the mandible of the medieval man found at St Nicholas Kirk, Aberdeen, Scotland. (Jenna Dittmar / British Dental Journal / CC BY 4.0)
A Golden Smile in Early Modern Aberdeen
The gold wire was found tightly wrapped around the right lateral and left central mandibular incisors, spanning the gap where the right central incisor would have been. Researchers concluded that it was designed to serve as a bridge, either stabilizing a loose tooth or providing a scaffold for a prosthetic replacement. "The most likely purpose for this ligature was to attempt to either retain the right lateral incisor or to provide a bridging scaffold to sustain a prosthetic tooth," the study authors explained.
The ligature itself is a testament to the skill of early craftsmen. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the wire was an alloy consisting of 82.4% gold, 9.8% silver, and 2.5% copper — a composition that would be classified as 20-carat gold today. The wire was pulled through a draw plate to shape it and tightened with pliers, creating a knot on the left central incisor. A marked groove worn into the tooth root suggests the ligature was in place for a substantial period before the man's death. Given the precision required, the researchers suggest the procedure was performed by a semi-skilled practitioner, such as a local goldsmith. During this period, Aberdeen was home to at least 22 operating goldsmiths, any of whom might have crafted the delicate wire.
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A depiction of ancient dental bridge techniques, illustrating the long history of gold wire dental prosthetics. (Image Source: Changes in Dentistry over Time / Public Domain)
The High Cost of Medieval Dental Care
During the Late Medieval and Early Modern periods, dentistry was not yet a formalized profession. Those suffering from toothaches or tooth loss often turned to barbers, barber-surgeons, or traveling tooth-drawers — carnival performers who peddled proprietary methods for "painlessly" extracting teeth. In Scotland, local women were also a common source of dental treatment, offering herbal remedies for oral pain that ranged from heated green turf applied to the site of pain on the Isle of Skye to cow dung poultices for abscesses in Aberdeen. Such folk remedies persisted in Scotland well into the 20th century.
The gold bridge found in Aberdeen represents a far more advanced and expensive form of treatment. Out of the 100 individuals from the Early Modern period excavated at the site, this man was the only one with clear evidence of such restorative work. The researchers note that the sheer cost of the 20-carat gold would have been a major barrier for most people. The man's burial location within the affluent East Kirk of St Nicholas — one of the largest churches in medieval Scotland — further supports the conclusion that he was a relatively wealthy member of the community.
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Appearance and Morality in the Middle Ages
The motivation behind this expensive and likely uncomfortable procedure may have gone beyond simple function. In the Late Medieval and Early Modern eras, physical appearance was deeply intertwined with perceived moral character. As the researchers noted, "the appearance of a person and their perceived health was linked to one's sins." For a wealthy individual in Aberdeen, maintaining a complete smile was not merely about the ability to chew food — it was a matter of social standing and reputation.
The gold bridge, therefore, served as both a medical device and a status symbol, allowing the man to preserve his appearance in a society that judged character by outward physical traits. This social dynamic echoes findings from other parts of Europe in the same era, such as the case of Anne d'Alegre, a French noblewoman from the 16th century who also used gold wire to hold her loosening teeth in place.
While the practice of using gold wire for dental stabilization has ancient roots — dating back to the Egyptians and Etruscans, with examples also known from 15th-century Portugal and 16th-century France — this discovery marks the first time such an appliance has been found in Scotland. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the early history of dentistry and the remarkable measures our ancestors took to keep their teeth intact. The study was funded by the British Academy and carried out by researchers from the University of Aberdeen, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Louisiana, and the Australian National University.
Top image: Gold ligature surrounding the left central incisor and the right lateral incisor on the mandible of an adult male buried in the East Kirk of the parish church of St Nicholas, Aberdeen, Scotland. Source: Jenna Dittmar / British Dental Journal / CC BY 4.0
By Gary Manners
References
Dittmar, J., Crozier, R., Cameron, A., Mann, B. & Oxenham, M. F. 2026. Restorative dentistry in Early Modern Scotland: archaeological evidence of the use of a gold ligature. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41415-025-9107-3
Kasal, K. 2026. Medieval jaw reveals Scotland's first known dental bridge made from 20-carat gold. Phys.org. Available at: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-medieval-jaw-reveals-scotland-dental.html
Phelan, M. 2026. Archaeologists Unearth 'Advanced' Gold Dental Bridge in Medieval Scottish Grave. Available at: https://gizmodo.com/archaeologists-unearth-advanced-gold-dental-bridge-in-medieval-scottish-grave-2000753616
