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EKOSION OF THE TJIETH. 49
ting that is much more extensive. In this case there was no
grooving of the incisal edge, or along the incisal edge, only a
slight broadening of the groove on the mesial side, and it will
be noted that a similar groove is being cut upon the distal portion
of the labial surface, while there is a curious half dish-shaped
form on the distal end of the groove running mesio-distally. In
this cutting, the angles with the surface of the tooth are very
sharp, but the bottoms of the grooves are well rounded. The
depth of the cut from the transverse groove to the incisal is
shown in Figure 59, while the depth of the cut across the labial
surface is shown in Figure 60.
It was clearly apparent in examination of the tooth, that
the groove running mesio-distally had cut through the calcified
pulp. The incisal edge of the tooth had been much worn by
ordinary abrasion. The V-shaped cut in the root of the tooth
was made with a file for the examination of the pulp canal.
In all my examinations of erosion I have never seen a metal-
lic filling that seemed to have been cut away by erosion. Years
ago I made much trial of gold fillings with a view of arresting
erosion, and generally found the erosion progressing beside the
filling as though no filling had been placed. The margins of the
fillings stood up sharp and definite, showing no rounding. Dr.
W. D. Miller, in his recent articles on erosion, claimed to have
seen fillings of various sorts cut away by this process. Eecently
I have met with a case which is presented in Figure 61, in which
a gold crown, which had been placed' over the first bicuspid,
seems to have been cut through. The patient is a dentist, and he
tells me that this is the third gold crown that has been cut
through at the same point. It was placed over the tooth because
it had become quite deeply eroded and was extremely sensitive.
The second bicuspid below also is a gold crown, placed for a
similar reason. It has shown no signs of injury. It will be
noted that erosion is in progress in other teeth in the neigh-
borhood.
In Figure 62 is presented an illustration of a case of erosion
of proximal surfaces observed a number of years ago. The pic-
ture is reproduced from pencil sketches made during the progress
of the case. I had the privilege of observing the progress of this
over a period of about seven years, nothing being done or
attempted in the way of treatment. The picture represents the
case as I first observed it. It appeared as if holes had been
bored between the teeth, cutting about equally from either tooth.
These grew larger and larger and the interproximal gum tissue
receded slightly until the teeth were cut away so much that they