# Laser Scans of Washington's Teeth
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-scans-of-washingtons-teeth/286942
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [January 27, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-scans-of-washingtons-teeth/286942 "2005-01-27T16:41:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-scans-of-washingtons-teeth/286942/1 "2005-01-27T16:41:32Z")
[http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&ncid=753&e=4&u=/ap/20050127/ap\_on\_sc/washington\_s\_teeth](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&ncid=753&e=4&u=/ap/20050127/ap_on_sc/washington_s_teeth)
This is supposed to help people realize that Washington was not the dour man they usually visualize, somehow. The logic escapes me. This _will_ allow them to model his face more accurately, but it’s not clear to me how that helps folks with appreciating his psyche.
According to Richard Shenkman, by the time Washington died, he only had one real tooth left in his mouth, and all his dentures were anchored to that one solid spot. Ouch! I wouldn’t blame George for being grumpy. Eighteenth Century Dentistry did the best it could with what it had at hand, but I wouldn’t want to be forced to use it.
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laser-scans-of-washingtons-teeth/286942/2 "2005-01-27T17:44:39Z")
> [@](#):
>
> The dentures are made from gold, ivory, lead, human and animal teeth (horse and donkey teeth were common components).
> The dentures had springs to help them open and bolts to hold them together.
Wouldn’t donkey teeth make everything taste like ass?