Page 28 - My FlipBook

20 THE EXTRACTION OF TEMPORARY TEETH.

For lower incisors or canines use lower hawksbill

root forceps; the same forceps can be used on either side
of the mouth.
For loiver temporary molars use lower hawksbill
molar forceps or lower hawksbill root forceps.
Broken-down temporary teeth and roots can either be

extracted with root forceps or prised out with the " fish
tail' elevator, making use of an adjacent tooth as a
fulcrum.

It is quite unnecessary to have special forceps for
temporary teeth.
It is important to avoid extracting prematurely a
second temporary molar ; loss of this tooth may lead to a
moving forward of the adjacent first permanent molar

and consequent crowding and irregularity of the bicuspid
teeth.
The temporary canines should also be retained until
their permanent successors show signs of erupting;

premature extraction of the temporary canines allows
the bicuspid teeth to move forward and thus may lead
to the deformity of projecting canine teeth.
Undue retention of the temporary teeth may, on the

other hand, lead to irregularity of the permanent
successors ; in cases of doubt it may be well to postpone
extraction until the advice of a dental surgeon can be

obtained.

Dentition Table.

The following table shows the order in which the milk
teeth and permanent teeth appear, and the average age

at their eruption. There are wide variations as to time,
and great irregularity in the order of their appearance.
Milk teeth.—The first dentition begins at the sixth or