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SELECTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF TEETH. 2/

THE SELECTION AND ARRANGEMENT
OF THE TEETH.

THE ESTHETIC AND PHYSIOGNOMICAL REQUIREMENTS.

In making- up the facial features, the jaws and teetli
form a very important part. The teeth, standing, as they
do, as guards abont^the entrance to the digestive tract, tell
to the thoughtful student—by their size, form, color, texture,
and relative position—not only something of the physiolog-
ical condition of the individual, but of the mental and moral
power or weakness. To replace these organs, then, with
fidelity will require liberal art culture and the highest order
of intelligent discrimination.
This is well expressed by the late Dr. James W. White,
who was one of the most intelligent contributors to the
"
literature of dental art, where he says : No matter how
anatomically correct, or how skilfully adapted for speech and
mastication, an artificial denture may be, yet, if it bear not
the relation demanded by age, temperament, facial contour,
etc., it cannot be otherwise than that its artificiality will
be apparent to every beholder.
'' This law of correlation, harmony, running through
nature, attracts and enchants us by an infinite diversity of
manifestations; the failure to recognize its demands by art
is correspondingly abhorrent to our sensibilities.
" There is a relation between the physical form and the
voice, from which w-e are led to infer in advance the char-
acter of the tones which from any given individual may be
expected. This law of association, in any case having led
us to expect a base voice, the anomaly should a falsetto greet
us is almost ludicrous.
''
There is a similar relation between other physical char-
acteristics and the teeth. A broad, square face, or an oval;