Page 34 - My FlipBook
P. 34
8
THE TREATMENT OF TEETH
1
adheres to them, spoon excavators of various sizes
and curves are useful. Nos. 15 and 16 of the
Darby-Perry set of excavators (S. S. White's list)
are particularly valuable for scraping the lingual
surfaces of lower incisors and canines, and when
these surfaces are difficult to reach, the No. 3
long-bladed Wood house excavator can often be
conveniently applied. No 1 5 of the Dental Manu-
facturing Co.'s list of excavators is also a very useful
curved spoon excavator. In working at the back of
the lower incisors the operation may often be most
conveniently and accurately performed by reflection,
and this use of the mouth mirror is a necessity if
these teeth lean iuAvards. Much care is needed
in order to remove tartar from between teeth, and
slender, chisel-like scalers are most useful in narrow
spaces. It may be mentioned that tartar is never
completely removed unless the teeth feel smooth to
the patient's tongue, and this condition should be
secured before any polishing powder is applied.
With the exception of removing superficial stains
or discolorations, very little polishing Avith powder
is needed if the tartar is completely and carefully
removed. In removing stains, finely powdered
pumice-stone may be applied with a properly
trimmed stick of orange-wood. Tincture of iodine
also assists in removing stains, and may be safely
THE TREATMENT OF TEETH
1
adheres to them, spoon excavators of various sizes
and curves are useful. Nos. 15 and 16 of the
Darby-Perry set of excavators (S. S. White's list)
are particularly valuable for scraping the lingual
surfaces of lower incisors and canines, and when
these surfaces are difficult to reach, the No. 3
long-bladed Wood house excavator can often be
conveniently applied. No 1 5 of the Dental Manu-
facturing Co.'s list of excavators is also a very useful
curved spoon excavator. In working at the back of
the lower incisors the operation may often be most
conveniently and accurately performed by reflection,
and this use of the mouth mirror is a necessity if
these teeth lean iuAvards. Much care is needed
in order to remove tartar from between teeth, and
slender, chisel-like scalers are most useful in narrow
spaces. It may be mentioned that tartar is never
completely removed unless the teeth feel smooth to
the patient's tongue, and this condition should be
secured before any polishing powder is applied.
With the exception of removing superficial stains
or discolorations, very little polishing Avith powder
is needed if the tartar is completely and carefully
removed. In removing stains, finely powdered
pumice-stone may be applied with a properly
trimmed stick of orange-wood. Tincture of iodine
also assists in removing stains, and may be safely
