Page 62 - My FlipBook

42 Irregularities of the Teeth.
liable to interfere with the healthy and uniform deposition of
the enamel; which process is not completed till a short time
before the tooth cuts the gum.
Third, the extraction of a temporary tooth before the perma-
nent one has proceeded so far in its formation as in the case
above, may prevent the completion of its formation altogether,
by destroying or injuring the sack.
Fourth, by the premature removal of the temporary teeth,
the jaw is liable to contraction, from want of the accustomed
support afforded to it by the teeth and by their sockets (which
latter becomes absorbed whenever the teeth are removed ;)
consequently, when the permanent teeth come in, there will
not be room in the jaw for them; and thus irregularity is
caused by the very means employed for its prevention. Mr.
Bell mentions the case of a fine healthy boy, whose maxillary
arch was well formed, bein^ taken to a dentist, who, with great
dexterity, removed eight teeth at once, all of winch were firm
in their sockets. The consequence was, that the permanent
teeth were ultimately so irregular from want of room from the
contraction of the maxillary arch, that it became necessary to
extract four permanent bicuspides, to remedy the pernicious
effects of this maltreatment. Thus, in all probability, four
permanent teeth were sacrificed at the shrine of ignorance ; for
Mr. Bell mentions that all the other members of the family had
regular teeth, though left entirely to nature.
Fifth, it is a cruel and needless infliction of pain on a child.
This notion of having the temporary teeth removed to make
way for the permanent ones, is not uncommon. We have re-
peatedly had children brought to us for this purpose. We trust
enough has been said to convince the reader of the justness of
our previous observation, that a man should thoroughly un-
derstand his profession, who attempts the management of the
second dentition. None of the temporary teeth* should ever
It often happens that the temporary teeth, especially the molares,
*
decay at an early age and expose the child to severe tooth-ache. Under
such circumstances, it is common to extract the painful teeth. We think