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262 THE TECHNICAL, PROCEDUEES IN FILLING TEETH.

injury, as has been described. "We need two more of these gen-
eral separators; one with a longer reach by the width of the
claw, and another with a shorter reach by the width of the claw.
This would make the instruments almost ideal. With the single
instrument now sold, its reputation is continually being marred
by persons placing it without attention to propping up the bows.
At first a device was attached to the instrument intended to take
the place of the gutta-percha for propping it up, but it failed
to work in so many cases and was so much in the way that the
instrument is now sold without it.
When the teeth are very irregular in the arch, other means
of separation often have to be devised. Wedges of wood may
sometimes be used, or cotton can be crowded tightly between the
teeth and tied over, or about, the contact point with' a ligature
and accomplish a sufficient separation within a few days. Slips
of rubber may be drawn between the teeth and the ends cut
short; this is a very eifective method of slow separation, but is
apt to make the teeth very sore. In using rubber for separating,
great care should be had that the rubber does not press upon
the gum septum. This not only creates unnecessary soreness,
but is liable to do great injury to the gum septum.
A method that is excellent for very slow separation in the
bicuspids and molars, is to excavate the cavity roughly and
moisten its surfaces with eucalyptol to make the gutta-percha
adhere to the walls, and then fill it solidly with gutta-percha,
filling the interproximal space solidly against the proximating
tooth. In doing this, a flat instrument, such as a burnisher or
gold finishing knife, should be placed firmly in the interproximal
space to protect the gum septum while the gutta-percha is being
packed, and afterward the instrument may be removed. This
will prevent absorption of the gum septum by the continued
pressure of the gaitta-percha. This point should never be neg-
lected, as a full gum septum is necessary to the health of the
parts, and it should be carefully protected against injury. AVhen
the patient is discharged temporarily, he should be directed to
make vigorous use of the tooth in chewing. The impact of the
food will cause the gutta-percha to spread and carry the teeth
apart sufficiently within a week or two. This is a very effective
method of slow wedging in cases in which the teeth have dropped
together from loss of tlie contact jioint, and has the merit of
moving the teeth without creating soreness. But it must be
remembered that the teeth are separated only by expanding the
gutta-percha by heavy chewing ujwn it. If the patient does not