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EXAMINATION OF MOUTH LOOKING TO DENTAL SERVICES 175

age and habits. All this can be done at a glance and in a few
second's time, when the operator wuU be much better qualified to
advise the .patient as to what is best to do in a special case.
If the Patient Is in Pain its alleviation is of first importance and
should receive immediate attention. It may require the applica-
tion of medicinal remedies, or some mechanical procedure or even
the extraction of a tooth, but, whatever it may be, it must be done
at once as the patient is in no mood to receive sage advice about
the future when he is at present in pain.
Early in the Examination Sitting the patient should be advised
of the necessity of a prophylactic treatment provided the teeth
and mouth are not scrupulously clean, which is seldom the case,
unless the patient has recently visited the dentist for that purpose.
This Is Second Only to the relief of pain and it is manifestly the
dentist's duty to attend to prophylaxis before proceeding to the
making of fillings.
A Careful Examination should be suggested, following the hasty
inspection, and, if advised to do so by the patient, the dentist may
then proceed to search all surfaces for the various classes of decay,
not forgetting the vulnerable points about work previously placed,
as the margins of fillings and about the bands of crowns.
The Instruments Needed are, a clear, uninjured mouth mirror, a
sharp pointed instrument called an explorer , cotton pliers and
small balls of absorbent cotton, Avaxed floss silk, chip blower and
mechanical separator, A small electric mouth lamp is also of value.
The Use of the Mouth Mirror is to see therein the image of sur-
faces and locations where direct vision is imperfect or impossible
and to flood the point being examined with an abundance of light.
Many cavities existing in the proximal spaces are not noticed until
strong rays of light from a different angle than the line of vision
of the examiner have been directed against them.
The Use of the Explorer is to note the extent of decalcification
at suspected points and the inspection of pits and grooves for
faults in enamel. This instrument should be in the shape of an
elongated cork screw turn, that the more inaccessible points may
be reached. A light hand in its use is imperative as the dentist
is not excused for breaking dovvii tooth substances or for causing
much pain in any of the processes of examination.
Absorbent Cotton in the pliers is used to take up the moisture in
cavities of considerable size and whose depth questions proximity