The mummified Egyptian had gone to the dentist
Osirmose, embalmed 2,700 years ago, shows traces of oral surgery. As proven by a scan performed at the Saint-Luc University Hospitals in Brussels on this mummy from the Royal Museums of Art and History (RMAH).
In 2015, Osirmose, a dignitary from the 25th Egyptian Dynasty, landed on a university research table for a digitisation project as part of a thesis. The examination revealed that it is a man along with many secrets about the mummification process. It also identified its organs, optic nerves, and a calcified eye.
But it was the analysis of the three-dimensional model of Osirmose's upper jaw that really caused the surprise. Apparently, a root had been extracted from this guardian of the temple of Ra, which had caused an injury to the jawbone. This is proof that the ancient Egyptians not only prescribed herbal remedies for toothaches but also performed all kinds of oral surgery and dental care. And since the man's jaw was severely damaged, he must have known what it was like to have painful molars.
It is possible that in the Egyptian civilisation of the 25th Dynasty, knowledge of anatomy and medical practice was widespread. It is also likely that, thanks to the methodology used for studying mummies, many mysteries surrounding them will soon be solved.