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keep up a constant pressure, sufficiently powerful to bring
the tooth into a line with the others.
The same mode of treatment is to be observed whether
there be one, two, or three teeth, growing in a similar man-
ner. The teeth are usually brought forwards in about a
month or five weeks, and as soon as they are so much ad-
vanced as to allow the under teeth to pass on the inside, the
piece of ivory may be removed, and the bar only be retain-
ed for a few days, until the teeth are perfectly firm, which
will prevent the accident of the teeth again receding.
In cases where the irregularity has been suffered to con-
tinue too long, no success can be expected to follow attempts
to remove it ; we must content ourselves in the treatment of
these cases in adults, with taking away the most irregular
teeth, and thus, as much as possible, lessen the deformity.
Mr. Fox does not mention an effect of irregular teeth
which is occasionally noticed, and it is when an irregular
tooth presses upon or is pressed upon by a regular tooth ; so
much so, as to occasion irritation, inflammation, and forma-
tion of matter at the roots of one or both of these which so
impinge upon each other.
It is but a few days since a respectable clergyman called
upon me to ask my advice, respecting the upper lateral in-
cisors ofthe right side. Upon examining it, I found that by the
irregular growth of the under cuspidatus of that side when
the mouth was closed, the incisor before mentioned was
thrust directly out, which by carrying it out of the circle of
the upper teeth, occasioned considerable deformity, and had
induced an inflammation and discharge of matter from the
socket of the incisor. By filing away the projecting part
of the irregular cuspidatus its irregularity was obviated, and
in a very short time I was enabled to restore the incisor to
its proper situation ; and consequently perfect symmetry was
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