[110th volume of Dutch Journal of Dentistry 3. Developments in the treatment of oral and craniomaxillofacial trauma during the last five decades]. / 110e jaargang NTvT 3. Ontwikkelingen in de behandeling van aangezichtstraumata gedurende de laatste vijf decennia.

A historical review is presented on the development of the treatment of trauma of the maxillofacial skeleton in the context of international as well as national literature. The review has been divided in three periods: the period before the prophylactic use of antimicrobial agents (before 1950), the years of open reduction with wire osteosynthesis (1950-1980) and the period till present in which open reduction is combined with rigid internal fixation (after 1980). The latter period is also marked by the application of the principles of primary bone healing, whereas access to the maxillofacial skeleton is gained through a coronal incision, where needed.

The triumph and tragedy of James Baxler Bean, MD, DDS (1834-1870).

In 1863, James Baxter Bean, a Southern physician and dentist, invented the interdental splint. This device was used to treat hundreds of Confederate soldiers who had received gun shot-related facial and jaw injuries during the Civil War. Made of vulcanized India-rubber, the splint provided a dramatic breakthrough in the treatment of maxillofacial wounds. In an Atlanta, Georgia hospital, Dr. Bean utilized his invention by establishing the first ward devoted exclusively to the treatment of jaw fractures. He also invented an apparatus that manufactured and administered nitrous oxide. Additionally, Bean's groundwork in casting aluminum as a denture base material led to Taggart's later invention (in 1907) of the casting machine. After the Civil War, Dr. Bean became a highly successful dentist, practicing in Baltimore, Maryland. In the fall of 1870, at age 36, Bean, representing the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., traveled to Europe to gather geological specimens. A short time after arriving, Bean decided to climb Mont Blanc with ten other men. The entire group perished in a raging 8-day snow storm on the mountain peak. This tragedy, a compelling drama, is legendary in the annals of mountaineering history. After Dr. Bean's passing, his wife lost her sanity and subsequently died. Later, the death of the couple's only child, Chapin, sadly ended the family line. Although his life was cut short, Bean's contributions to dentistry have been significant and far-reaching.