Page 193 - My FlipBook

HISTORY OF DENTAL SURGERY : 161

description corresponds too well witli tlie history of many of the opera-
tions and many of the nioutiis of the present day. As to materials he says
''Amongst the numberless tilings which have been proposed for stopping
teeth, there is only one perfectly snitalile, and that is gold. But as the public
have been given to understand that there are newly invented cements capable
of eflecting all that is desirable in curing toothache, plugging up carious cavi-
ties, and permanently stopping the pnigress of the disease, and one advertising
))ractitiouer has gone so far as to promise to re-enamel the teeth with cement,
it will be proper to make a few remarks on the subject. * * *
"The cements now in conmion use are principally of two kinds, mastic and
metallic. The first is termed anodyne cement, and is used for the cure of
tootliache, but is merely a vehicle to retain something else which is to act on
the diseased part, except indeed we allow it some share of utility in keeping
the air Irom the cavity. This efl'ect however, is, from the nature of the com-
position, very uncertain.
'"Metallic cements are principally two kinds. Those composed of a combi-
nation of metals capable of fusion at a low heat—that of boiling water or lower
—or those composed of granulated metal, either mi.xed up with amalgam of
mercury or (ompounded witli a gypsum. The latter are almost too worthless
to be mentioned. They are, nothwithstanding, productive sources of revenue to
many advertising professors, who shamelessly impose upon the confidence of
tlieir patients. The former kind are occasionally useful as palliatives. Not
that I would 1 e understood as their advocate. I should recommend that every
invcterately diseased tooth should be removed at once, with a view to pre-
serve the healthy state of tlie mouth generally, because every such tooth is
an exciting cause of inflammation, which, extending to the surrounding parts,
the adjacent teeth eventually fall into decay. But as patients will not at all
times consent to the removal of a tooth, but nuike up their minds to put off
the evil day as long as possible, it will be found that the use of the fusible
metals, for stopping, will postpone that evil day to a much later period than
could be hoped for if the tooth was allowed to take its course. Before using
them, however, the patient ought to lie apprised that there is no hope of
etfecting a cure by such means and that the remedy is only temporary. * * *
"The fashion of using cements will, like others, pass away, and the great
number of unsuccessful cases will accelerate its progress to oblivion. It is
to be hoped, that in time, patients will be able to discover that educated men
are successful in a far greater number of instances than even the most for-
tunate of advertising empirics.