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52 the technical peocedukes in filling teeth.

Instexjment Geasps.
ILLUSTRATIONS: FIGURES 26 30.
The manner of holding instruments in performing dental
operations is very important, and especially is it important that
young men beginning their life work should begin right; that
they assume at the start a grasp which will give them power,
facility and delicacy of touch. When men have been in practice
for some years using a wrong grasp, it becomes difficult for
them to change the form of their grasp for a better form. A
careful study of the form of grasp used by noted operators, those
who have made much more than an ordinary reputation based
on their dexterity and power in manipulation, has shown a
remarkable uniformity in the grasp of instruments.
The PEN GEASP, so-called, is the grasp used for the principal
part of the work in the excavation of cavities and in placing fill-
ings. But this grasp is made differently by different men ; there-
fore there is the pen grasp in good form, indifferent form and
bad form. Wherever much force is to be exerted and yet with
great delicacy and facility of movement, the form of pen grasp
represented in Figure 26 should be used. Notice particulai-ly
that the pulps of the thumb end and the first and second finger
ends are upon the shaft of the instrument, so that the full power
of all three are used to prevent the instrument slipping when
making a powerful thrust. Careful observation of the form of
the grasp and power of thrust of many men has shown that on
the average men who use this particular form of grasp have
nearly one-third stronger thrust than those who use any other
form. The form of the grasp shown in Figure 27 gives good
facility of movement, but much less power. A careful noting of
the difference shows that the instrument crosses the nail of the
second finger instead of having the pulp of the finger end on the
instrument as shown in Figure 26. The power of the thrust is
much less in this second form. Figure 28 shows the worst form
possible of the so-called pen grasp. It gives neither power of
thrust nor facility of movement. Notice that the fingers are
much bent and that the instrument crosses the second finger at
the first joint. The power that should be exerted by that finger
is almost entirely lost. The fingers are so bent that the range of
movement is badly crippled.
The palm and thumb geasp, Figure 29, has a limited range
of use in dentistry. In this the instrument is grasped in the palm