Page 47 - Craventreatiseonpyorrh00crav

PYORRHCEA ALVEOLARIS. 37 SECONDARY TREATMENT. At the beginning of a second sitting, the dentist should carefully press with a finger all about the orifice of the u pocket " recently operated upon, to ascertain whether any pus may be still expressible, or, slightly open the " pocket n with the flat probe to liberate confined pus—if any there Also, he should look for evidences of shrinkage of be (?). gum between the teeth, and at any other part in which there had originally been noticed the bluish or violet coloring. The shrinkage occurs oftenest and most markedly in the festoons between the teeth, where it usually forms little dimples—some- times deepening into distinct funnel-shaped pits in the soft tissue. The latter form always indicating extensive resorp- tion of the septum. The shrinkage of the gum is assurance of cure; although in some instances the shrinking of gum will be so extensive as to alarm the patient, particularly if on or toward the labial aspect of an anterior tooth, it should be borne in mind and impressed upon the patient that there can be no cure without shrinkage j of gum in proportion to the loss of alveolar process immediately ! subjacent. If the examination at the second sitting shows that the sur- gical work was effective and shrinkage satisfactory, the 41 M pocket should again be douched liberally and forcibly as in the first instance, the water at the specific temperature of 140° Fahrenheit, in order to assure thorough cleansing of the pus cavity. If the operator desires to use peroxid of hydro- gen, or the three per cent, solution, ot pyozonrv,; he may do so