Page 129 - My FlipBook

Plugging the Teeth. 109
be operated on, the disease perfectly extirpated, and the cavity
plugged with gold as solid as the hills, so as completely to ex-
The curative treatment of the diseases of the teeth, as practiced by
ignorant or incompetent persons, is of very little advantage ; nay, it ia
often of great injury. When they plug teeth, (not knowing the causes
of the disease and how it should be treated,) they do not perfectly extir-
pate the disease, or properly fit the cavity for retaining the plugging, nor
do they properly fill the cavity after it is fitted ; hence the diseases pro-
gress, the plugging comes out, and the unfortunate individual condemns
the dental art. The operation of plugging the front teeth arid small
double teeth; is extremely difficult of performance, and requires great
patience and dexterity. The plugging of these teeth, as it is done by
the mass of dentists, is of little or no advantage. It is only ihe thorough
going, well informed men of integrity, who overcome the difficulties and
render such services as shall triumph over the disease, and cannot be too
highly appreciated by those who require them.
The effects of the mal-practices of ignorant persons or impostors, are
often displayed in the operation of fding the teeth. They often file the
teeth asunder,- even when perfectly sound, for the prevention of decay,
"for fear they will decay" as they term it, with rough and coarse
files, and leave the sides unpolished. This practice of gross, preposter-
ous and villanous imposition, has been practiced to a great extent in the
country, by travelling empirics, and has been productive of great in-
jury ; for the country people, not generally taking so much care of their
teeth, to keep them clear of foreign matter, as those in the cities, would
be apt to suffer most from this imposition. The manner in which the
teeth aire often mangled, cut up, and disfigured by such persons, is dis-
gusting and makes an honest man blush for his profession.
The ii.e properly and judiciously employed, or as it is used by all
good dentist (see filing the teeth,) is one of the most useful instruments
we possess for ihe cure of incipent decay.
The evil effect of ignorance, or a want of knowledge of the laws
which govern the animal economy,—the necessity or importance of
science in the practice of that part of the dental art, which every body
considers to-be wholly mechanical, and that it does not require any, or
much knowledge to practice it properly—and the advantage that would
accrue to community, if scientific men only were employed, are displayed
in a striking manner, by the substitution of artificial teeih on plates, as
practiced by many dentists. The plates do not properly fit—they press
hard against the adjoining teeth, and the clasps or springs, by which
they are attached to the adjoining teeth, are too small or grasp too
firmly. The dentist tells his patient, that the teeth will feel awkward for
awhile, but that he will soon become accustomed to them. This is the
case, but what is the result 1 The effects of this pressure exerted 1 of the
springs'? Mark well, for the results we are about to mention, very
generally a'tend the substitution of teeth on plates, attached to the
natural teeth.
First—The undue and continued pressure causes the teeth to which
the artificial ones are attached, to become diseased in the socket, and
nature sets herself to work to remove the cause of irritation, in conse-
quence of which, they protrude by degrees, and at length fall out;