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104 Curative Treatment of Caries. —
hicuspides will go back, and the second and third molares will
come forward, so that no space will be left.
" The front teeth will also derive much benefit from this
gain of room, as they will probably separate so as to leave a
small space between them, which will tend greatly to their
preservation; for it is observed, lhat when teeth are crowded
together, they almost always fall into a state of decay."
Fox's Natural History of the Teeth, part J, page 63.

CURATIVE TREATMENT OF CARIES.
Plugging and filing are the only means of arresting or cur-
ing decay of the teeth. The utility and proper application of
^hem may be considered under separate heads.
PLUGGING THE TEETH.
The utility of plugging the teeth for the enre of caries, as
now practised by scientific dentists, is known and appreciated
by many persons ; by more, it is not sufficiently known or
understood, to induce them to have recourse to the operation,
or if they do, to employ such services, as shall prove of much
advantage. There are others who distrust its utility altogether.
For the information of all, we shall present a mass of author-
ity and facts, from the best dentists of the age, that must carry
conviction to the mind of any reasonable man.
" Stopping or plugging the teeth, is the filling up of cavities
produced by decay, with some artificial substance. This ope-
ration is of great antiquity. It was known to the ancient
Romans ; and even Galen and CEtius, among the Greeks,
treat of it in their writings.*
it is now practiced on principles of science by
* Dental surgery, as
nil thorough dentists, is comparatively of recent origin, though some
writers fond of ancient lore would have as believe, that it is coeval witd
'.he earliest ages. Mechanical dentistry, or the substitution of artifissd