Page 221 - My FlipBook

PREPARATORY TO FILLING 205
and necessitated their destruction ; and even if, as
the result of removing the pulps under pressure
ansesthesia and a perfect filling of the roots, these
teeth had remained in as comfortable, useful, and
entirely satisfactory condition as they are in to-day,
the writer submits that any dentist would prefer
to have the two live teeth rather than two pulpless
ones in his own mouth. The result obtained in
this case was expected, and is in accordance with
the results which will usually follow an intelligent
application of the method.
Exposed Pulp,—If a carious tooth is left unfilled,
sooner or later the decay progresses until the pulp
chamber is encroached upon, and a portion of the
pulp becomes exposed. In these cases, and also in
cases of non-exposure where the pulp has become
inflamed (this is shown by the amount of pain
suffered), it is usually necessary to destroy the
pulp. Many cases of successful pulp capping
may be quoted—the writer has had two exposed
pulps successfully capped in his own mouth, the last
one being done sixteen years ago—but the proportion
of failures to successes is so great that, as a general
method of practice, it is hardly wise to attempt
conservative treatment. It is as a rule (except
perhaps for young patients with strong teeth and
robust constitutions) preferable to waste no time