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FILLING CAVITIES WITH GOLD, BY CLASSES. 273

out the mesial surface of the filling to a sufficient fullness of
contour.
Building the contact point. The mesial surface of the
filling should be built strongly against the proximating tooth.
The separator has, of course, been placed and the teeth strained
a little apart in the beginning. During the building of the gold,
the spring of the bows of the separator has been constantly
pulling them apart, increasing the separation. This may be
increased just a little more by wedging the gold strongly against
the proximating tooth for a space that should be larger than the
finished contact desired. This is done in the same manner that
gold is wedged against cavity walls. At the same time another
item of great importance is being accomplished. That part of
the filling which shall finally form the contact point will be made
very hard and resistant. Indeed, this should always receive a
specially severe hammering, first with the usual gold building
plugger, and then, when the gold has been hardened by that,
it should be malleted again with a smaller point to still more
increase its rigidity. This will prevent much of the wearing
away and flattening that is liable to occur. By this method, the
proper prominence of the contact point will also be assured.
Covering the occlusal margins. Finally, in the finishing
of the packing of the filling, the occlusal cavo-surfaee angle is
approached. This should be given especial care in every part.
To facilitate this in molar teeth with very deep sulci, it is often
an advantage to build the central area high to have material to
wedge against about the margins and cut the central portion away
in finishing. The building should approach the margins and
be built against them and fully over them in every part, leaving
an excess of gold to be removed in finishing the filling. Then
all of the occlusal part of the filling should receive a thorough
final malleting for the hardening of its surface. If in this some
points are found to condense down so that they may be a bit
low for the final trimming, more gold should be malleted in to
bring them up so that no instrument pits will be left in the final
polishing.
After condensation. By the phrase "after condensation"
is meant such condensation of the surface and margins of the
fillings as may be done after the completion of the actual build-
ing of gold has been done. Some of this after condensation may
be done on proximal surfaces while the building of gold is still
in progress, but it will generally be better to await the comple-
tion of the building. When sufficient experience has been had

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