Overview
- University of Aberdeen researchers identified a thin 20-carat gold wire tied around two lower front teeth that worked as an early dental bridge in remains from St Nicholas Kirk.
- Lab analyses using radiocarbon dating, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy dated the burial to about 1460–1670 CE and confirmed the alloy as high-quality gold.
- Wear notches on the teeth show the ligature sat in place for a long time before death, indicating it functioned during life rather than being added for burial.
- Only one out of roughly 100 reassessed individuals from the church showed any dental repair, suggesting the treatment was rare and likely limited by cost and specialist skill.
- The study describes the find as the earliest known restorative dentistry in Scotland, with some outlets reporting it may be the first UK evidence of gold used in the mouth.