Page 355 - My FlipBook

CEMENT AND GOLD. 353

bicuspids, and sometimes even to marginal cavities in the incisors and
canines, with good results.

Cement and Gold.
This combination may be used, with but slight modification, in the
same manner and in the same class of cases that have been mentioned
for the use of amalgam and cement, cases under B excepted. The
cement is placed in the cavity, and, while soft, pieces of some of the
so-called " plastic " golds are put into it, in the same manner as has
been described for cement and amalgam ; the surplus cement is carefully
cut away, and, after waiting for that in the cavity to become
so hard as not to break or crumble under jiressure, the pieces of gold
placed in the soft cement are thoroughly condensed. For this pur-
pose, de Trey's "Solila" Gold, Steurer's Plastic Gold, White's Crystal
Mat Gold, and Watts' Crystal Gold are recommended. The filling
can then be completed with the same or any kind of cohesive gold.
Care must be taken to place a sufficient amount of the plastic
gold into the cement to make, when condensed, a solid foundation
upon which to build the rest of the filling. If too little gold has
been used, it will '* chop up " and not make a secure union with the
cement.
In some large cavities it may be found more convenient, after having
filled the approximal portion with the cement and gold, to make a second
mix of cement for the rest of the cavity, into which the gold is put as
before.
In some special cases it may be well to use foil in this manner, but,
as a rule, the plastic golds will be found preferable.
Too much stress cannot be laid on the desirability of this method
for frail teeth, remembering always that the cement is the strengthening
and supporting medium. The mason would not build a bridge pier of
granite alone, or a house of bricks without mortar. However nicely
the blocks of granite or the bricks might fit each other, it is the cement
and the mortar that hold them together as in one piece.
Es])ecial attention is called to this combination of gold and cement
for the six front teeth. In the teeth of young patients and teeth
of low-grade structure there are often found large cavities which,
if filled with gold alone, will in a few years, sometimes months, show
discoloration around the fillings. Filled as above described, every
vestige of decay having first been removed, a coml)ination results which
is the ideal preservative filling as far as present knowledge and facilities
go. Pulpless front teeth that are much decayed can be improved in
appearance and greatly strengthened by this method. Fig. 334 shows
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