Page 149 - My FlipBook

FILLING TEETH 133
waste or wear soon causes the contour of approxi-
mal fillings to be lost, food to become wedged
between the teeth, and extension of decay to take
place in consequence, while the cervical wasting
when it occurs increases the mischief.
Owing to its hardness, it is extremely difficult
to cut out, and this is often necessitated for the
above reasons. It can, however, be often used with
advantaofe in occlusal cavities and fissures in bicus-
pids and molars — particularly for young and fidgety
patients—and for cavities on the sides of molars, and
sometimes bicuspids, where, owing to the extraction
of the adjacent tooth, the filling is perfectly free
and can be easily repaired when necessary. A
cavity can be very rapidly filled with copper
amalgam, and as the surface soon becomes smooth
from wasting and wear, there is no necessity to
spend much time in finishing the filling. If its
use is confined to the above - mentioned cavities,
including buccal and palatal surfaces of molars, and
occasionally bicuspids, as well as to all cavities
in temporary molars that admit of an amalgam
filling, and only need to be preserved for a few
years, it will be found to give great satisfaction
in many cases, particularly if the teeth are sensitive
and the retainage doubtful, and the mouth is too
wet to admit of the use of white cement or an alloy