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CHAPTER XXVII.
TIN AS A FILLING MATERIAIi
History. The first use of tin as a material for filling teeth Avoiild
seem to date back to about 1780 and was much written about as
a tooth preserver for the century following. After the introduc-
tion of amalgam in 1826 there seemed to have been much rivalry
between the two substances, amalgam gaining the favored position.
At the World's Columbian Dental Congress, in Chicago, 1893, as
Avill be seen by the report, many dentists of national repute went
on record as classifying tin as one of our best tooth savers and de-
plored the fact that its value was being lost sight of.
The late Dr. AV. C, Barrett expressed himself so emphaticall}^ as
to say, "Tin is as cohesive as gold, and if everything were blotted
out of existence with which teeth could be filled, except tin, more
teeth would be saved." This may be putting it a little too strongly,
but the fact remains that more teeth would be permanently saved
if a more general use of tin was common Avith the profession today.
Therapeutic Value of a Tin Filling;. Of all our filling materials
there are only two for wliich any therapeutic value is claimed.
All others prevent the farther loss of tooth substance by exclusion
luechanically shielding the defenseless tooth substance from the
dissolving properties of the products of fermentation.
The Therapeutic Action of Tin is probably due to the formation
of the sulfid of tin which is caused by the presence of sulfuretted
hydrogen from the decomposition of food substance. The dentinal
walls of a cavity which has. been filled with tin for some time, turn
brown or black and seem to have undergone a structural change
rendering them quite impervious to decay, and very hard to ex-
cavate with hand instruments or the engine bur.
Discoloration. In some mouths tin turns black not only upon
its external surface but this color is in a measure transmitted to
the tooth substance, a fact which is one of the greatest objections
to its use and debars it from exposed positions in the anterior por-
tion of the mouth. In other mouths there seems to be little dis-
coloration, the filling remaining polished and of a light color.
The Amount of Discoloration seems to bear no relation to its
permanency as to bulk or as a tooth preserver.
Thermal Conductivity. Tin is only one-fourth as good a con-
166
CHAPTER XXVII.
TIN AS A FILLING MATERIAIi
History. The first use of tin as a material for filling teeth Avoiild
seem to date back to about 1780 and was much written about as
a tooth preserver for the century following. After the introduc-
tion of amalgam in 1826 there seemed to have been much rivalry
between the two substances, amalgam gaining the favored position.
At the World's Columbian Dental Congress, in Chicago, 1893, as
Avill be seen by the report, many dentists of national repute went
on record as classifying tin as one of our best tooth savers and de-
plored the fact that its value was being lost sight of.
The late Dr. AV. C, Barrett expressed himself so emphaticall}^ as
to say, "Tin is as cohesive as gold, and if everything were blotted
out of existence with which teeth could be filled, except tin, more
teeth would be saved." This may be putting it a little too strongly,
but the fact remains that more teeth would be permanently saved
if a more general use of tin was common Avith the profession today.
Therapeutic Value of a Tin Filling;. Of all our filling materials
there are only two for wliich any therapeutic value is claimed.
All others prevent the farther loss of tooth substance by exclusion
luechanically shielding the defenseless tooth substance from the
dissolving properties of the products of fermentation.
The Therapeutic Action of Tin is probably due to the formation
of the sulfid of tin which is caused by the presence of sulfuretted
hydrogen from the decomposition of food substance. The dentinal
walls of a cavity which has. been filled with tin for some time, turn
brown or black and seem to have undergone a structural change
rendering them quite impervious to decay, and very hard to ex-
cavate with hand instruments or the engine bur.
Discoloration. In some mouths tin turns black not only upon
its external surface but this color is in a measure transmitted to
the tooth substance, a fact which is one of the greatest objections
to its use and debars it from exposed positions in the anterior por-
tion of the mouth. In other mouths there seems to be little dis-
coloration, the filling remaining polished and of a light color.
The Amount of Discoloration seems to bear no relation to its
permanency as to bulk or as a tooth preserver.
Thermal Conductivity. Tin is only one-fourth as good a con-
166
