A Roman "implant" reconsidered -: reply

A supposed “wrought iron” dental implant1 was recently reported from a second century CE Gallo-Roman necropolis in Chantambre (Essonne, France), but in my view the data need to be re-evaluated in the light of what is known regarding ancient and modern dentistry2,4. The item is described as “severely corroded”, for example, but an X-ray reveals a perfectly formed tooth with a smooth, intact surface free from the pitting expected on a small iron object interred for nearly 2,000 years under less than ideal conditions. The archaeological context and data on finds of iron in this and other tombs are not provided.