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vantages which they enjoy, in a greater degree than any
other artificial teeth.
First, They do not change, except perhaps very slightly,
upon being worn in the mouth.
Secondly, They do not absorb the saliva or any juices of
the mouth, so as thereby to offend the taste or contaminate
the breath.
These two advantages are very considerable, and they
have been and continue to be the only ones which can be
urged in their favor over other substances.
I will now mention the disadvantages attached to these
teeth, and which caused them to be more than once rejected
as unworthy of the approbation of the Society of Medi-
cine, &c. of Paris : and the reader will bear in mind, that
when the Society of Medicine gave their approbation of
these teeth, they did not by so doing disapprove of the other
substances, but merely that porcelain might be used. The
disadvantages of these teeth are the following.
First, There is no congeniality between them and the
gums, against which they are placed. They are a complete
foreign body. Animal or natural teeth when properly mount-
ed and inserted in the mouth, will repose upon the gums for
years, without much change taking place in them after being
worn a few weeks ; and in all cases the alveoli, after a tooth is
extracted, are absorbed away, and if any teeth are inserted
previously to this time, the jaw will change in some degree
its shape. But putting these exceptions out of the way, the
animal and natural teeth may be worn for years with little
or no change taking place. It is otherwise with porcelain
teeth ; there is no fellowship between them and the gums,
the remaining teeth, the lips or the tongue. The gums are
constantly disposed to retire from the contact of these teeth,
and in this respect we may notice that one of their great