Alfred Gysi (1865–1957) – more than a pioneer of dental prosthetics and articulation

Abstract

Alfred Gysi was one of the most influential dental scientists of the last century. He is primarily considered a pioneer of modern articulation and occlusion theory, and several of his technical developments still bear his name. But what milieu did this dentist come from, what characterized his academic career and what research contributions did he make beyond the theory of articulation? How was he perceived by contemporary experts – as a researcher and as a colleague – and how can his scientific contributions be classified from today's perspective? These are precisely the questions that this article examines. The study is based on contemporary primary sources and on Gysi's own publications. In addition, a systematic re-analysis of the available secondary literature on the life and work of Alfred Gysi and on the history of the Zurich Dental Institute was carried out. The analysis shows that Gysi had a strong influence on contemporary dental prosthodontics and contributed considerably to its scientific character, especially due to the development of articulators and face bows, which received worldwide attention. But Gysi's scientific influence was by no means limited to prosthetics. Rather, he also provided important studies on caries and the dental pulp. Moreover, he published fundamental work on dental histopathology and microphotography. The current image of Gysi therefore needs to be revised. In view of the thematic breadth of his scientific contributions, Gysi is not only the most important prosthodontist of his time, but also one of the most versatile and innovative representatives in the history of Swiss dentistry.