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FILLING WITH GOLD. 105

of a given size, using non-cohesive gold, than can be done with
cohesive gold.

The Application of Force in Filling with Cohesive Gold.
In using cohesive gold in filling teeth all parts of the gold
should be welded into one solid mass. This is accomplished by
using the gold in small masses and condensing each of these
perfectly upon preceding masses with the end of the plugger
point, by either hand pressure or the blows of the mallet. The
use of hand pressure with sufficient force to accomplish this
well, or to obtain the necessary degree of solidity, while it can
readily be done, becomes exceedingly tiresome to both the
patient and the operator. For this reason mallet force has come
into general use. The kind of mallet used for condensing the
gold seems to be of much less importance than the particular
manner of handling it, and this last must be stated as being a
personal equation. That is to say, one person will accom-
plish a given condensation of gold with much less inconvenience
to the patient than another can do, and yet, the differences in
the application of force are not such as permit of analysis and a
determination of the precise differences in manipulation.
Of the different plans of applying mallet force the hand mal-
let used by an assistant is by far the best, as it will produce the
desired result with the least wear and tear to both patient and
operator. The next best, but much inferior method, is by the
use of the automatic mallet. Of these instruments there are a
variety in the market of almost equal merit. The poorest
method practiced is the use of the hand mallet by the operator
himself In this use of the mallet he can not handle either the
plugger or the mallet properly, and the usual result is great
wear and tear upon both patient and operator, and generally
much imperfect work in condensing the gold, especially in
its
adaptation to margins.
In order to condense gold well, and with the least pain to
the patient, the mallet force should be combined with a certain
degree of hand pressure. The plugger should be placed firmly
in position with such force as to bring the looser portions of gold
well together, and to force the tooth into a stable position in
which the fibers of the peridental membrane are rendered tense,
and then the blow from the'mallet follows on the instant this is