Page 238 - My FlipBook

2 22 THE TREATMENT OF TEETH

absorbed by and thoroughly penetrate the dentine.
To accurately seal an apex, and then leave the rest
of the canal free, is very difficult in many cases.
An excellent method, if immediate sterilisation is
attempted, is to promote the absorption of the
germicide by means of heat. A root that is dried
as perfectly as possible is in the best condition for
rapidly absorbing a germicide, and the vaporisation
of a germicide in the root will probably cause it to
penetrate more rapidly and thoroughly. A paste
or mixture of europhen and carbolic acid has been
recommended for this purpose by Dr. K. J. Schu-
mann, in the "Items of Interest," page 256, 1900
volume. Europhen is a substitute for iodoform
(having similar properties), and is free from the
disagreeable odour of the latter. The Evans root-
oanal drier can be satisfactorily used for drying
the canal and vaporising the medicament. The
writer places a little carbolic acid, or creosote,
on a glass slab, and by means of a spatula works
€urophen into it until a syrupy or treacle-like
solution is produced, sufficiently thick and viscid
to adhere readily to the Swiss broaches, or fine steel
bristles, used for placing it in the canals. The
immediate method adopted by the writer in septic
roots is to carefully open up the cavity, and
expose the orifice of the canal, taking care that