In “Oldest dental filling is found in a Stone Age tooth” (New Scientist, 19 September 2012), Colin Barras reports,
A simple wax cap that was applied to a broken tooth 6500 years ago is the oldest dental filling on record. It adds to evidence that Neolithic communities had a surprisingly sophisticated knowledge of dentistry.
The recipient of the treatment was most likely a 24 to 30-year-old man, living in what is now Slovenia.
In 2001, another team found drill holes in teeth from 7500 to 9000 years ago, and it is suggested that the holes were plugged with wax.