Page 116 - My FlipBook

112 THE TECHNICAL PROCEDURES IN FILLING TEETH.

The Wedging Principle.

The stepping of the plugger should always be from
the central part of the mass of gold toward the walls,
and the last condensation of each individual piece of
gold added should be along the wall being covered.
This rule is practically universal to filling with cohesive gold,
except when condensing pieces laid upon central parts of the
filling, no portion of which is condensed against a wall of the
cavity. When the stepping of the instrument is toward the wall,
finishing the condensation against the wall, the last of the
gold is w^edged betw^een the w^all and that last con-
densed, thus securing perfect adaptation to the wall. If, on the
other hand, the condensation is begun at the wall, the tendency
is to pull the gold away from the wall in moving from it in the
condensation of the remaining portions, and to make imperfect
adaptation.
In condensing each piece of gold added the stepping of the
plugger point should be in a regular order, moving only
the width of the condensing point at each step, con-
densing every portion of gold. Regular lines of movement or
stepping should be formed generally parallel with the wall that is
to be approached, finishing along the wall. Such an order of
work, pursued with regularity, secures speed in operating, and
accuracy of adaptation of the gold to all parts of the cavity walls
and margins.
In the approach to and covering margins, great care should
be had not to step the instrument onto the cavo-surface angle of
the cavity. If this is done the cavo-surface angle of the enamel
will be chipped and rendered imperfect. As the margin is
approached the gold should be laid over the cavo-surface angle
in sufficient quantity to admit of malleting directly upon it,
without danger of the plugger point punching through it and
making contact with the enamel. This requires that the gold be
built completely over the margin at every point before the filling
is regarded as completed.
In finishing the building of the gold to form there should
always be an excess to allow for sufficient trimming to remove all
instrument pits and marks. It requires much care and good