Page 43 - My FlipBook

CHAPTER IV

FILLING TEETH
A DESCRIPTION of the filling of teeth may be divided
into a consideration of, firstly, the materials, and,
secondly, methods of using them. As is well
known, the materials employed are gold, tinfoil,
amalgams, gutta-percha, and the various cements,
or osteo fillings, as they are often called. To the
above must now be added porcelain in the form of
inlays.
Gold.—This precious metal is prepared for filling
teeth in a variety of ways. It is prepared in the
form of foil of varying thicknesses, and also as a
sponge-like mass generally known as crystal gold.
Foil is prepared either as cohesive or as non-
cohesive gold.
Absolutely pure gold possesses the property of
welding when cold, providing the surfaces to be
united are perfectly clean and dry. The least
deposit on the gold, either of moisture or any
extraneous substance, interferes with this welding',
and, consequently, it is always necessary to anneal