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TEEATMENT OF DENTAL CABIES. 201

better to use inlays or tide the case along with cement fillings,
renewed, as may be necessary, from time to time, awaiting better
conditions.
In broken teeth, or teeth so badly decayed as to necessarily
show much gold in fillings, the question of the use of porcelain
inlays should be considered. For the present, I think it should
be considered that the power of arresting decay is low in porce-
lain inlays set with cement, and there should be more caution
as to their use in the teeth of young persons who show much ten-
dency to caries. But when decided immunity to the beginning of
decay has become apparent, this plan of lepair may serve an
excellent pur^DOse in the restoration of lost parts. It is par-
ticularly well adapted to the hiding of such defects in the teeth
of singers and others who are much before the public and in
whom such blemishes become especially prominent.
Inlays are also very desirable in eases of weakening of the
peridental membranes in cases of recession of the gums or other
cases of injury to the peridental membranes of any of the teeth.
In these cases the patients are generally older and the tendency
to decay so limited that the power of protection from further
decay has become less important.
The limitation temporarily of the use of gold in young
patients, or in sensitive teeth, awaiting better conditions, will be
sufficiently presented elsewhere.
In case of prominent loss of substance of teeth by wear
(mechanical abrasion), the material used for repair or the build-
ing up of the lost part, should be the hardest that we can use for
the purpose. Generally the platinum-gold foil shade No. 3 should
be chosen. This has all the merits of a pure gold filling, but, if
well condensed, stands severe abrasion much better than gold
alone. There is apt to be some objection to this material in the
minds of some patients on account of its color being not that
rich yellow of pure gold. Because of this difference in color, they
are apt to think it an inferior material. This is because the
public is less acquainted with the value of platinum, and is, in
fact, a prejudice. Or, better stated, the public is not sufficiently
acquainted with it for its character and qualities to declare them-
selves at sight and it leads to questioning. It is richer than pure
gold, more durable under abrasion, its color makes it less notice-
able, and altogether it is intrinsically a better material than gold
for all fillings that show in the front teeth because of its less
prominent color. As this material can be worked conjointly with
pure gold, it may be used simply as a veneer on those parts of