Page 30 - My FlipBook

1 6 METHODS OF FILLING TEETH.

the gum ; and second around the palatal and labial angles, to reach
self-cleansing lines. As to the first proposition, the recurrence of decay
toward the gingival borders of a filling, in my opinion, depends not
upon the position which the border occupies, but rather upon the form
to the border, the manner of insertion of the and
given filling, very
largely upon the perfection of the finish. As discussion of this must
occur at a later point in this work, no more need be said here. As
to the second claim, that of reaching self-cleansing surfaces, this will be
"
as good a place as any for determining the point. What is a self-
' the term is a misnomer. No can
surface ?
cleansing' Plainly surface
cleanse . it is meant to imply a surface cleansed
itself Manifestly readily
by the tongue or lips. The only surface of the former character is
the lingual aspect of the six lower anterior teeth. That the tip of the
tongue does serve the purpose here, is amply proven by the fact that
caries seldom if ever is seen in the lingual surface of a lower incisor,
the only point on any tooth "where I have never placed a filling. I have
with
placed distinctly lingual fillings (not complicated approximal
in lower but never in an incisor. This would limit
cavities) cuspids,
this saving, cleansing power of the tongue to a single surface, of only
four teeth. Then when we remember that this very point is the first
place we attack in cleansing a set of teeth, we see what limited ability
as a scavenger must be attributed to the tongue. Xext we have the
It is rare that we observe a cavity in the labial surfaces of
lips.
incisors or cuspids except along the festoons, under green-stain, or as
a result of erosion, in which latter case it is most probable that the
or the mucous follicles on their surfaces, produce rather than
lips,
retard the destructive process. With these exceptions, we must admit
that the lips may effect a saving cleanliness. \Ve find that festoon
cavities are quite common. This indicates that the farther we get
from that of the tooth viz, the which can be
part cutting-edge
reached by the edges of the lips, the less cleansing we observe. If
the cannot cleanse the it is evident that
lips along festoons, they cannot,
and do not, cleanse around the curve toward the approximal surfaces.
Can this be done by the tongue ? It is rarely if ever that one washes
the labial surfaces of the lower teeth with the of the ; and
tip tongue
as to the this is more common, the action is to
upper, though place
the tip of the tongue about the bicuspid region, carry it along toward
the of the This would wash
bicuspids opposite side, and then back.
off the debris along the labial surfaces, but would crowd it between the
approximal curved angles, so that if we are to extend approximal
angle to reach an imaginary cleansing surface,
cavities around this
the extension should be
very great. Fig. 25 shows a section through
two incisors having approximal fillings as I should advise them to be
placed, the borders not having been extended either lingually or