Page 175 - My FlipBook
P. 175
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173
ruption of the diseased action, and with little pain, until it
has destroyed the principal part of the lining membrane, and
afterwards the small fibres which pass through the root.
The tooth is then deprived of all its vital principles, and the
death of the bony structure follows.
The symptoms, however, which have been just described,
are not always present, and some teeth are more subject to
them than others.
The upper cutting teeth, for example, may be observed to
be under the influence of simple and complicated caries in
all their different stages, without being in the least painful
and the incisors and cuspidati of both jaws may be considered
in general, to be less subject to the above painful symptoms,
than the bicuspidati and the molares ; and even in these last
these symptoms may also never appear, in consequence of
the disease remaining in an uninterrupted chronic state. The
pain may also be prevented by the sudden death of the lining
membrane of the tooth from some accidental or artificial
cause, as has been before mentioned.
Hence it frequently happens that one or more teeth may,
lose their vitality by the ravages of complicated caries with-
out giving the individuals any warning of their perilous state ;
whilst in. other cases the most painful and alarming symp-
toms are experienced. Though this fact may seem very
surprising, it may, nevertheless, be well accounted for in every
instance, by a particular inquiry into the nature of the
disease.
If caries, for instance, is left entirely to its own course and
natural influences, and not aggravated by general and local
causes, its progress is generally regular and chronic.
During its progress through the bony structure, it produces
by its ordinary chemical action, a constant change from
chronic inflammation to mortification, until it comes in con-
173
ruption of the diseased action, and with little pain, until it
has destroyed the principal part of the lining membrane, and
afterwards the small fibres which pass through the root.
The tooth is then deprived of all its vital principles, and the
death of the bony structure follows.
The symptoms, however, which have been just described,
are not always present, and some teeth are more subject to
them than others.
The upper cutting teeth, for example, may be observed to
be under the influence of simple and complicated caries in
all their different stages, without being in the least painful
and the incisors and cuspidati of both jaws may be considered
in general, to be less subject to the above painful symptoms,
than the bicuspidati and the molares ; and even in these last
these symptoms may also never appear, in consequence of
the disease remaining in an uninterrupted chronic state. The
pain may also be prevented by the sudden death of the lining
membrane of the tooth from some accidental or artificial
cause, as has been before mentioned.
Hence it frequently happens that one or more teeth may,
lose their vitality by the ravages of complicated caries with-
out giving the individuals any warning of their perilous state ;
whilst in. other cases the most painful and alarming symp-
toms are experienced. Though this fact may seem very
surprising, it may, nevertheless, be well accounted for in every
instance, by a particular inquiry into the nature of the
disease.
If caries, for instance, is left entirely to its own course and
natural influences, and not aggravated by general and local
causes, its progress is generally regular and chronic.
During its progress through the bony structure, it produces
by its ordinary chemical action, a constant change from
chronic inflammation to mortification, until it comes in con-
