<P> As early as the 7th century BC, Etruscans in northern Italy made partial dentures out of human or other animal teeth fastened together with gold bands . The Romans had likely borrowed this technique by the 5th century BC . </P> <P> Wooden full dentures were invented in Japan around the early 16th century . Softened bees wax was inserted into the patient's mouth to create an impression, which was then filled with harder bees wax . Wooden dentures were then meticulously carved based on that model . The earliest of these dentures were entirely wooden, but later versions used natural human teeth or sculpted pagodite, ivory, or animal horn for the teeth . These dentures were built with a broad base, exploiting the principles of adhesion to stay in place . This was an advanced technique for the era; it would not be replicated in the West until the late 18th century . Wooden dentures continued to be used in Japan until the Opening of Japan to the West in the 19th century . </P> <P> In 1728, Pierre Fauchard described the construction of dentures using a metal frame and teeth sculpted from animal bone . The first porcelain dentures were made around 1770 by Alexis Duchâteau . In 1791, the first British patent was granted to Nicholas Dubois De Chemant, previous assistant to Duchateau, for' De Chemant's Specification': </P> <P> (...) a composition for the purpose of making of artificial teeth either single double or in rows or in complete sets, and also springs for fastening or affixing the same in a more easy and effectual manner than any hitherto discovered which said teeth may be made of any shade or colour, which they will retain for any length of time and will consequently more perfectly resemble the natural teeth . </P>

The base of a full denture is made of