Page 222 - My FlipBook

301 Artificial Teeth.
teeth ; the tusk of the hyppopotaraus or river-horse; the teeth
of animals, usually of the cow, and mineral substances, va-

the jaws approaching nearer than usual in mastication, a degree of fric-
tion on the front teeth ensues, which soon wastes or loosens iherr. Jn
supplying artificial teeth of every kind, this circumstance ought always
to be kept in view ; otherwise the operation can never prove honorable
to the dufist, nor satisfactory to the patient.
The fixing of artificial teeth on g >1 I plates properly adapted to the
gums, is, from its uni\ lility, perhaps the best mode now in
use. It is. however, when prop :rly executed, the most difficult and least
understood. Such are the late improvements by means of gold plates,
that where every ot;er method would fail, even in the ablest hands, they
con succeed with certainty in this. It lias, in fae', given a new tone to
the art, and raised it above the imperfections so generally ascribed to it.
"A common method of making these plates of gold was to form them
into something like the shape ol the parts to be supplied with teeth,
by merely bending them with a pair of pliers, and forcing them into
their intended place, which naturally forced out the teeth with which
the plate^came in contact ; or if claws or springs were added, the same
injurious result was produced. Those who improve on this method,
have models of the mouth cast in brass, on which the plate was moulded
ill the way that dies are usually worked upon. So sensible of the diffi-
culty of properly executing this model are many of the first dentists, that
they never undertake it at all. The last improvement in gold plates was
to cover over with caps, formed out of one plate, such back teeth or
stumps as remained when partially worn down by attrition or decay, so
as to prevent the contact of the front teeth in mastication.
"A dentist who worked in bone only, would, when a case requiring a
gold plate formed into caps for them occurred, be under the necessity of
extracting such irregular teeth or stumps as interfered with his opera-
tions, or to make a covering of bone so fine as to break in mastication
;
whereas the use of such gold plate renders extraction unnecessary in
every case where the teeth or fangs are not otherwise troublesome. But
in many cases, the union of gold and bone are necessary to produce the
desired effect."— Andrew Clark.
The substitution of teeth on gold plates, is an extremely nice art, in
which some dentists greatly excel others. It is of the utmost importance to
the possessor of them, that the plates be made to fit perfectly, and do not
exert too much pressure on the adjoining teeth or their ruin will be cer-
tain, and that too, in a short time. A vast deal of mischief is produced
by the unscientific manner, in which many dentists attach artificial
teeth to the natural ones. (See note page 109.)
Grafting or pivotting teeth on stumps.— When either or all of the
'
six front teeth are decayed and painful, or unsightly so as to render their
presence disagreeable, natural teeth maybe fixed to the roots. Whenever
this method of affixing teeth can be adopted, it is far preferable to any
other; for as long as the roots remain firm, which is often for many
years, we can renew them at any time, without the least inconvenience,
as they are independent of any other teeth ; they may be fitted so nicely,
as to defy detection, even on minute inspection. If the root is sound,