Did you know that archaeologists have discovered artificial toes in their digs in Egypt dating as far back as 1295BC? That shows how far back human innovation goes in crafting body parts to replace lost limbs or organs.
The difference between a prosthesis and a prosthetic?
Most people tend to use a prosthesis and prosthetic interchangeably; however, they refer to different things within the same field.
Prosthetics refers to the specialized field of designing and creating artificial limbs and other body parts. Using artificial limbs improves standards of living and builds self-esteem in affected individuals. Prosthetic can also refer to an adjective to describe the artificial body part, e.g., prosthetic arm.
NYC, Prosthesis (prostheses in plural) refers to the artificial device used to replace a missing body part. Missing body parts can be due to amputation from trauma or disease. Prosthetic limbs can also be used by individuals born with congenital limb differences. When prostheses are mentioned, the picture that comes to mind is artificial limbs, but prostheses are in many categories.
People who have lost eyes can also acquire ocular prostheses. Survivors who beat breast cancer and had undergone mastectomies can also get prostheses. The trained professionals who deal with prosthetics, such as those in NYC, are known as prosthetists.
History of Prosthetics
The earliest prosthetic limbs were made of wood which proved to be heavy, but advances in prosthetic technology have given rise to lighter materials. Technology is so advanced that some prosthetic limbs can be controlled using the brain, just like real limbs. This new frontier of prosthetics is known as neuroprosthetics.
The earliest ocular prostheses were made of glass, but around the 1940s, plastic was introduced as a potential replacement. The use of plastic prostheses has grown in leaps and bounds, leading to improvements in comfort, cosmetic appearance, motility, and durability.
