Page 77 - My FlipBook

GOLD AS A FILLING-MATERIAL.
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Were it possible to determine in what mouths, and under what con-
ditions, these two results could be prognosticated, we would be enabled
to give copper amalgam a prominent place in our cabinets. But
when it is known what many have observed, first, that fillings
which appear* successful for months will suddenly deteriorate into a
condition similar to that described as a failure ; second, that fillings
may be successful, and unsuccessful, in the same mouth at the same
time ; and third, that two fillings have been made at the same sitting,
from the same material, placed in the same tooth, both in the masti-
cating surface, and that one of these has proven successful while the
other has utterly failed, we are compelled to admit that at present
copper amalgam is utterly unreliable. It has been suggested that the
failures are attributable to the manner of manufacturing the material.
This may be so. But until the true secret of manufacture shall have
been discovered, copper amalgam cannot be recommended.
GOLD AS A FILLING-MATERIAL.
Gold is pre-eminently the best material with which to fill teeth. It
has the great disadvantage of a conductor of heat, and it
being good
unfortunately requires considerable time for its proper insertion, in
addition to which it lacks some of the good qualities of other materials ;
but nevertheless it can be stated positively that the main reliance for
the salvation of teeth which have decayed must be upon gold.
It then becomes of the gravest importance for a dentist to thoroughly
understand this material and its manipulation, and after acquiring the
requisite skill, to be conscientious in his application thereof.
It is furnished to us mainly of two kinds, cohesive and non-cohesive,
and in three forms, viz, foil, including cylinders and blocks, rolled or
heavy foil, and the various kinds of plastic gold.
In using gold, the dividing line is where we decide to depend upon
Non-cohesive was used the
non-cohesive or cohesive gold. gold by
earlier dentists exclusively, because the dependence upon the cohesive
property of the metal is comparatively recent. Since the adoption of
cohesive gold, the older methods have fallen into such disuse that it is
safe to say that only a small percentage of dentists still follow them,
while a of the younger men have never even
very large proportion
essayed them. The question then arises, "Is there any advantage
in non-cohesive gold which is sufficiently important to make it deserve
a place in office practice?" If there is, I am ignorant of it. In mak-
ing this statement, I am aware that I will be criticised, but my position
is just this : In my own experience I have never discovered any special
I have never been able to appreciate the
use for non-cohesive gold.
advantage of having my gold so that the different particles would not
nor have I been able to see the
cohere under pressure, disadvantage