Researchers believe a 59,000-year-old Neanderthal tooth discovered in Siberia may contain the earliest known evidence of dentistry, predating previous examples by more than 40,000 years. (Image: Reuters) Scientists have uncovered what may be the earliest known evidence of dentistry, but surprisingly, modern humans may not have practised it. A new study led by researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences suggests Neanderthals carried out a sophisticated dental procedure around 59,000 years ago, thousands of years before the earliest previously known example of dentistry. The discovery centres on an ancient molar found in Chagyrskaya Cave in Siberia, Russia. The tooth contains a deep hole in its centre, which researchers believe was deliberately drilled using a sharp stone tool to remove infected tissue and relieve pain. If confirmed, the finding would push back the history of dentistry by more than 40,000 years.…