Page 87 - My FlipBook

USES OF HEA VY GOLD.
73
and down into the
approximal portion. This is very difficult with any
material, and trebly so with anything except heavy foil. The pro-
cedure is to only partly fill the upper cavity, and then, using No. 60
rolled gold, work over the edge, down into the approximal extension.
The stiffness of the gold, and the fact that it is a single thickness, tend
place
to make this comparatively simple. Here is a where the foot-
plugger is pre-eminently useful. With it a piece of gold may be first
well attached to that already in nlace, and then the end led over the
edge and against the wall of the approximal cavity. A second piece
treated similarly will make sufficient stiffness to insure the overlap-
ping part against riding up. Then a step further may be taken, and so
on, until all the walls and floor of the approximal cavity are covered,
when the completion of the work becomes simple with any kind of
Care should be taken that as each new
gold preferred. piece is
added, it be first securely attached in the upper cavity. This is why
I would not fill that part too full at the outset.
There is a most important use for heavy foil, in cases which are
frequently very annoying. I allude to cavities at the labial festoon
find cavities which
in anterior teeth. We not infrequently defy the
application of the best clamp at hand. Do what we will, there is a
tendency on the part of the clamp to slip so that it passes over the
edge and impinges within the cavity proper. In these cases proceed
as follows : Get the clamp into place, and hold it there with one hand
while the packing of the gold is begun. As rapidly as can be done
with safety, fill along the upper edge until there is a good starting-
point made, with either crystal gold or pellets. Then take No. 60
foil, cut into pieces about as long as the extent of the cavity and not
too wide. Take one of these pieces and lay it upon the gold already
fixed, so that about half of it protrudes above the gingival wall and
Mallet this down as far as it touches the
rests against the clamp. only
but leave the Be very careful, however,
filling, protruding portion.
that the margin is properly covered. Repeat this three or four times.
This will give us, say four thicknesses resting against the clamp. Ifthis
be now malleted down, a will be formed, extending above the
ridge
edge of the cavity, perfectly protecting the operator from any slipping
of the clamp. The continuance of the filling will become a simple
and pleasant task.
In small cavities in the same neighborhood I have
very successfully
filled with gold, without using the dam at all, by thus throwing up a
barrier of gold, and then working rapidly. I have in some instances
wall so
made this gold high that at the end I have turned it down upon
side was \vet from
and malleted it solid, though the upper
the filling
accumulated mucus.
The same general plan, though to a more limited extent, may be