Ancient Neanderthals drilled teeth to treat cavities 59,000 years ago
TL;DR Summary
A 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar from Siberia shows a deep hole drilled into the tooth to treat severe decay, likely an early root-canal-like procedure done with a narrow jasper tool; experiments suggest 35–50 minutes of work, and the patient survived for a time, signaling advanced medical capability and cognitive sophistication in Neanderthals outside Homo sapiens.
- Neanderthals used stone drills to treat cavities 59,000 years ago, tooth suggests The Guardian
- One Unlucky Neanderthal With Toothache Had Their Teeth Drilled By A Dentist 60,000 Years Ago IFLScience
- Neanderthal ‘dentists’ treated cavities 59,000 years ago Popular Science
- The Earliest Known Dentistry Wasn't Done By Our Species ScienceAlert
- Tooth from Siberian cave reveals Neanderthal dental surgery Yahoo
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