Page 197 - My FlipBook

EXCLUSION OF MOISTURE 193

mains for the other two, thus getting three out of the amount usually
used for two.
The Cutting of the Loose Ends may be practiced for all the teeth
except* the lower anterior, cutting two or three millimeters from the
knot. With the lower anterior teeth, ends of two or three inches
should be left from each knot and the farther ends of all tied to-
gether, and weighted to overcome the efforts of the patient to ele-
vate the lower lip, which endangers the security of the dam.
The Most Popular Knot for tying ligatures is the "surgeon's
knot," either full or half. This knot is made by passing the ends
around each other twice before each tie is made, for the ''full sur-
geon 's ,^not, " while for the "half surgeon's knot'' this is done with
only the first half of the knot.
The "Wedelstaedt Tie" is even more secure than the above and
is made by using the first half of a "surgeon's knot" on the lingual
side of the tooth first and then passing contacts with the ends on
'
either side of the tooth, complete the operation with a ' half sur-
geon 's knot" on the labial, thus circling the tooth with two strands.
The Removal of Ligatures from the tooth when the operation has
been completed should be accomplished before the rubber dam has
been disturbed, and is best done by the use of a small sharp-pointed
knife as a No. 1 gum lancet. The thread should be severed to one
side of the knot on the labial or buccal side, and by grasping the knot
with a pair of pliers, the thread is pulled through from that side.
Where Amalgam Fillings Have Just Been Completed in a prox-
imal space the ligature about a tooth so filled as well as that around
the proximating tooth should be cut so that the part lying gingivally
from the fresh amalgam will be loosened and will pass out to the lin-
gual embrasure. The ligature about a tooth in which there has just
been completed a filling in both the mesial and distal should be cut
on the lingual portion. This action will result in both ends being
loose ends. Attention to this point will prevent the ligature plowing
a ditch in the amalgam and destroying the filling, in many cases, at
the gingival-cavo-surface.
A Good Rule to Remember with mesial fillings is to cut to the
mesial of the knot ; with distal fillings cut to the distal of the knot
and where a tooth has both mesial and distal fillings cut ligature on
the lingual.
The Selection of the Clamp should be made and then tried on
the tooth it is intended to be used upon. One should be secured
that has jaws which fit the contour of the tooth at its gingival bor-
der, that will remain in position and yet does not hug the tooth so