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METHODS OF FILLING TEETH.

CHAPTER I.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES INVOLVED IN THE PREPARATION OF CAVITIES
REMOVAL OF DECAY RETENTIVE SHAPING INTENTIONAL EXTENSION-
DIRECTIONS FOR FORMING CAVITY-BORDERS SHAPING ENAMEL MAR-
GINS.

Now that the dentist is no longer to be denominated the "knight of
the forceps," it is fundamentally essential that he who would become
should be able to determine whether a
a conscientious practitioner
tooth be salvable by the insertion of a ; to decide which of the
filling
many materials now in use will best attain the end in view ; to prop-
for the and continued retention of
erly prepare the cavity reception
the and be capable of and skillfully placing
filling, scientifically
it so that it will be as nearly perfect as the attending conditions
will permit. This much has been accomplished by a goodly number
and more will be
of the dentists of the past present. Something
expected of the dentist of the future. He will be asked to abandon
the assertion, "Madam, your tooth has decayed around my filling,
but the filling was all right."
Undoubtedly there are teeth in which it may be impossible to
recurrence of but it is true that in too
prevent decay, equally many
' ' '
cases when the tooth decays around the filling' the filling was not
"all right." It is opportune, therefore, to discuss these questions
more in detail than has been done heretofore.
Those whose fillings are frequently returned to them in a leaky
condition are compelled to adopt one of two propositions : Either
their work is inefficient, or else the teeth upon which they have
are of It is but human to lean toward the latter
operated poor quality.
explanation. The position, however, is rarely tenable. The argu-
"
ment used is this : If the tooth decayed when it was perfect, why
should it not do so after it has been filled ? I cannot be expected to build