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EEOSION OF THE TEETH. 45

but a little way. In the lateral incisor nearly all of the labial
surface has been removed, but a triangular patch is left at the
incisal edge, in which the enamel seems not to have been injured
in the least. In the central incisor on that side, another triangu-
lar patch of enamel is left, next to the proximating central, in
the same condition. On these triangular areas the surface of
the enamel remains perfect. In the opposite lateral incisor and
cuspid there is some cupping of the surface, but they are nearly
The incisors are cut pretty deeply at the gingival portion
flat.
of the crown. The gums are in very good condition. It will be
noticed that the lower teeth are irregular and that the cuspid
on the right of the picture occludes evenly with the upper incis-
ors. This cuspid presents a perfectly flattened labial surface
throughout its extent from mesial to distal, but from incisal to
gingival it is a little concave. The lateral incisor next to it
is cut through its length as though it had been cut in a planing
mill, it is so level and perfect, with almost perfectly squared
edges on either side of the cut, the progress seeming to be to the
mesial and to the distal of the central cut. These characteristics
are not so often seen as some of those described earlier, and this
case presents very remarkable peculiarities in the triangular
patches of enamel left at the time the cast was made.
Figure 54 presents another case which, while it looks similar,
is really quite different. This occurred in a man about sixty-five
years old, and had been seen and watched for a number of years
by one of our most intelligent practitioners. The course of the
erosion was very rapid, occupying but between three and four
years. In this the erosion began near the center of the labial
surfaces and spread more rapidly toward the incisal than toward
the gingival, and the incisal edge was soon invaded. The proxi-
mal surfaces also began to lose material and the centrals spread
apart. In this case there was not the perfect smoothness of
surface usually seen in cases of erosion, and it reminded me
very much of a case described by Dr. Kirk, in which he thought
there was an inclination to softening upon the surface, although
there was no actual softening discernible. The teeth in this
case, Figure 54, gave a great deal of trouble from sensitiveness,
but artificial crowns placed upon them are doing very well.
The next case. Figure 55, is somewhat similar in its nature.
This case was brought in to me for advice by the dentist in charge,
and when I first looked at the mouth at a distance of a few feet,
my impression was that the upper incisors were retained decid-
uous teeth, but closer inspection dispelled this idea at once. The