Page 241 - My FlipBook

OF DRAWING THE TEETH. 225
They are naturally so fast as to require instruments ; and
the most cautious and dexterous hand and yet are sometimes
;
loose enough to be pulled out by the fingers.
When the sockets and gums are considerably decayed, and
the Tooth or Teeth very loose, it would in most cases be right
to perform extraction ; for when they are allowed to stay,
and perhaps are kept in their proper place by being tied to
the neighbouring Teeth, they then act upon the remaining
gum and socket as extraneous bodies, producing ulceration
there, and making those parts recede much farther than they
naturally would have done, if the Tooth had been drawn
earlier ; which produces two bad effects, it weakens the
lateral support of the two neighbouring Teeth, and it renders
it more difficult to fix an artificial Tooth. But unless these two
last circumstances are forcibly impressed upon the patient,
it is hardly possible to persuade him to consent to the loss
of a Tooth while it has any hold, especially a tooth which
appears sound.
The extraction should never be done quick ; for this often
occasions great mischief, breaking the Tooth or jaw ; on the
same principle, as a bullet, going against an open door with
great velocity, will pass through it, but, with little velocity,
will shut it.
This caution is most necessary in adults, or in the perma-
nent Teeth* ; for in young subjects, where there are only the
temporaiy Teethf, the jaw, not being so firm, the Tooth is
not in much danger of being broken.!
It is a common practice to divide the gum from the Tooth

* Vide Natural History, page 124.
t Vide Natural History, page 140.
% I must do Mr. Spence the justice to say, that this method appears to
be peculiar to him, and that he is the only operator I ever knew, who
would submit to be instructed, or even allow an equal in knowledge ;
and I must do the same justice to both his sons.