Page 43 - Craventreatiseonpyorrh00crav

CHAPTER III. 81 liGICAL PROCEDURE. Having selected a suitable instrument for a particular case, it should be passed gently along the surface of the root, within the pus " pocket " to the point of attachment of membranes wherever that may be. Press the hooked blade of the instru- ment firmly against the root, beyond the incrustation, and with steady retractive efforts remove all obstructions from the sur- face of the root, and if possible reduce all roughness; this may require expenditure of considerable time and exhaustive persistence. After removal of all discoverable calculus, the surface of the root itself should be well and thoroughly scraped, no effort being made to conserve pericementum. If during a protracted operation, there should promise a return of sensibility to the part, prompt resort should be had to hot water, to be followed with the cocaine solution, after which the operation may be proceeded with in assured insen- sibility to pain. There is no possible danger of the scraping of the root being overdone; removal of thickened pericementum within the "pocket" and the scraping away of subjacent cementum which has become partially or wholly solidified by obstructive calcification, or saturated with pus, will conduce to reassertion of a healthy pericementum and assured superficial excemen- tosis, i. e., certain cure. . ,.,,,, , ,,-, .