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restored to the upper teeth. By these means the discharge
of matter from the root of the incisor was entirely cured,
which saved the tooth from total destruction.
I am acquainted with an eminent physician of this city,
who had a similar discharge of matter from the fangs
of one of his molar teeth, which continued two years and
baffled the skill of all the dentists of this city, either to ex-
plain its cause or effect its cure. The doctor finally discov-
ered that the tooth was elevated above the level of the other
teeth, so that when the jaw was closed, the whole force of
both jaws rested upon this one tooth, which forced the fangs
of the irregular tooth with some degree of violence into
their sockets, so as to occasion inflammation and suppuration
of the membrane covering the fangs and lining the alveoli.
By filing away the irregular part of the tooth, so as to bring
it to a level with the other teeth, the discharge of matter was
entirely cured. In some instances irregular teeth not only pre-
vent a perfect symmetry of the teeth, but of the face itself. As
for instance, we occasionally notice the lower jaw turned to
one side, so that the nose and chin will not be in their usual
natural and symmetrical lirre with each other. In other in-
stances we shall notice *the under jaw thrust forward, so as
to cover the upper jaw. This last may not always be occa-
sioned by irregular growth of the teeth, although it often is.
Whenever we notice any unnatural position of the lower
jaw, especially in children and young persons, we ought to
examine, and if any of them are irregular, correct the irreg-
ularly by judicious operations, which have been before suf-
ficiently detailed.