Page 9 - My FlipBook

PREFACE.

The original intention in writing this book was to confine it
strictly to a consideration of dental caries and its treatment, but
later atrophy and erosion of the teeth were added. Atrophy of
the teeth seems now to have been completely made out both as to
its causation and the principal forms of the injury to the hard
tissues of the teeth, and it was thought best to place this infor-
mation on record in permanent form. Much of the detail as to
these injuries may, however, be discovered in the future. Our
information regarding erosion is far from complete and it now
seems probable that much time may elapse before its investi-
gation will develop satisfactory results. Its apparent increase
in frequency and the great damage it is doing, calls for the clos-
est study that the profession can give.
Otherwise than the presentation of these two conditions, this
book will be confined strictly to the consideration of dental caries
and its treatment. This comprises the main features of Oper-
ative Dentistry, though in fact it is only one department of our
daily work at the chair. Diseases of the dental pulp, diseases
of the peridental membranes, alveolar abscess, and the whole
group of pathological conditions of the soft tissues, are subjects
for another volume. The time has passed for including in one
book all of the subjects of dentistry.
While I have not been unmindful of the needs of the general
practitioner in the preparation of the book, it has been planned
especially for use of students in dental schools. The subjects
are introduced and carried forward step by step, from the sim-
pler to the more complex, with complete explanations of the
nomenclature for the beginner in the work of preparing cavities
and filling teeth. In the treatment of this subject, the questions
of the pathology of caries applicable to the prevention of recur-
rence of decay after fillings have been made, and the conditions
under which operations should or should not be done, have been
repeated often in order to keep these matters constantly before
the mind of the student.
In the arrangement of the matter, the logical order usually
observed in books has been followed. That is, the pathology has
been presented first and the treatment later. This is not always