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134 Curative Treatment of Caries. — ;
In refering tolhe above quotation from Mr. Fox, it should
be recollected that at the time he wrote, dental surgery was in
its infant slate, the operation of plugging little known, and
not practiced with that success, which attends the operation
of scientific dentists of the present day.
is discovered, or even suspected that the
" As soon as it
incisor teeth begin to decay, they should be separated without
loss of time, and the diseased parts cut away." Gerbeaux,
page 75.
The opinions of dentists with respect to the use of the file
differ very much, some extolling it, and others condemning it
but the propriety of its use, under the circumstauces we are
treating of, cannot be doubted. It is certain, that the separa-
tion of the teeth ami the extirpation of the decay with cutting
instruments will not arrest its progress in all cases, though it
will retard it greatly, by preventing the lodgement and reten-
tion of the causes of the disease, especially if care be taken
to keep them clean.
The secretions of the mouth, in some individuals possess,
the property of acting chemically on the teeth; and the teeth
of such persons will continue to decay in spite of art. Hence
in the teeth of one person, separated for the cure of decay, the
disease still progresses, while in another, it is effectually ar-
rested.
That the progress of incipient decay is not always arrested
by the usejaf filing and cutting instruments, is no argument
against their employment ; for reasons before mentioned.
(See page 130.)
We have dwelt longer on this subject than we intended,
but we wished to aduee facts and arguments enough to remove
the strong and unfounded prejudices, which most persons have
against the use of the file; for we believe that wonders may
be effected with this instrument, in the cure of incipient caries,
if early and judiciously employed.
The proper time for employing the file, in order that the
greatest possible benefit may be derived to the patient by its