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106 PATHOLOGY OP THE HARD TISSUES OF THE TEETH.
and gladly accept anything that promises relief. The number of
persons who have complained that they have been unable to
obtain relief when applying to their dentist indicates that the
body of the profession have been slow to realize the necessity
for treatment, or to see the way to make it successful. As said
in the previous article, one of two things is sure to result if
this continues: (1) acid fermentation will become established
in the pocket formed between the teeth as a result of the absorp-
tion of the interproximal gum tissue, by the pressure of the
accumulations, and caries beginning near the gingival line, as
shown in Figures 127, 128, will result; or (2), putrefactive
decomposition will occur, resulting in disease of the peridental
membrane. In Figure 124 a considerable absorption is shown
on the side of the mesial root of the lower molar, which seems
to have been caused by the continued irritation of the peridental
membrane, a thing that has been observed in a considerable
number of such cases. The common habit of dentists of throw-
ing extracted teeth into the waste-basket or elsewhere without
examination of the condition of their roots, is accountable for
the slowness of the development of our knowledge of the effect
of pathological conditions upon the peridental membranes and
the hard tissues which they invest. In this illustration, Figure
124, the surface flattened by wear is very broad. In Figure 125
the enamel has been worn entirely through, exposing the dentin.
In Figure 126 a decay of the enamel had begun near the contact
point but had ceased to progress because of some favorable
change of conditions. This has become blackened and the facet
of wear has later spread over it. The location of the decays that
have begun in Figures 127, 128, is typical of the beginnings of
decay in these conditions and speak for themselves as to the
difficulty of treatment. From every point of view cases of this
class call for immediate, careful consideration and treatment
in the very early stages of their progress, or just so soon as it
is noticed that there is trouble that seems to persist. Only one
thing promises relief, and, fortunately, has proven very effective
when carefully done. This is to cut a cavity in one of the worn
teeth that shall fully include the worn area, make a good and
sufficient separation of the teeth and build out a prominent
contact that will hold the surfaces sufficiently apart and prevent
further leakage of food into the interproximal space. This treat-
ment is given in detail in the volume on technical procedures in
filling teeth.