Page 28 - My FlipBook

METHODS OF FILLING TEETH.
I 4
accumulation of food along the edge of the clasp would of necessity be
just along the margin of the filling, it is easy to understand that
leakage would soon ensue.
\Ye have now to consider the anterior teeth. In this region a new
condition enters which must often modify our methods. What would
be of the mouth be
good practice in an inconspicuous part might very
in the front of the mouth, because of the dis-
reprehensible resulting
figurement. This exception to general rules must be further modified
by sex, for we might not hesitate to enlarge a cavity in the mouth of
a man wearing a heavy moustache, where we should regret exceed-
ingly to place a large gold filling in the white teeth of a handsome
young miss.
The central incisors occasionally are found grooved and pitted near
the cutting-edge. Suppose that two or three of these, pits are found
to be actually carious. Shall we unite them by cutting out the groove,
as in the case of a molar? Most assuredly not, for by so doing we
greatly disfigure the mouth, besides materially weakening the end of
the tooth. This class of decay is seen in Fig. 21, and the three cavi-

FIG. 21. FIG. 22. FIG. 23.

ties shown should be filled The central incisors are
separately. usually
longer than the laterals, and if this extra length is sufficient to allow
grinding off the imperfect end, thus removing entirely the pits and
groove, it should be done, provided the centrals are not thereby made
shorter than the adjacent teeth.
Fig. 22 shows another condition. The tooth, originally perfect,
has become as a result of the of
decayed presence green-stain.
When the stain is removed, we find, let us three distinct
suppose,
cavities. The dotted line a in the indicates the smallest
figure cavity
the three which could be made. The result would be a de-
uniting
plorable disfigurement. To unite the two smaller cavities, thus placing
two would be almost as bad. It will therefore be
fillings, preferable
to fill the three cavities Of several evils we must choose
separately.
the least.
The six anterior teeth are sometimes seen with distinct in
grooves
their palatal surfaces. This occurs most frequently in the lateral
incisors, and least often in the Of course where such a
cuspids.