Page 173 - My FlipBook

CYLINDER OR BLOCK FILLING. 169

taining points, serves as a foundation for the remain-
ing portion of the filling. Dr. Arthur's method is,
then, to tear off fragments from the sheet, and pass it
into the cavity without folding up, and condense it
with an instrument of fine serrated point, so that it not
only unites by cohesion, but it is worked into the
surface of the preceding portion of gold ; and in this
manner portion after portion is introduced and con-

densed, until the cavity is full. The filling may be
commenced in any part of the cavity that is most

convenient ; in many, as in crown cavities of the
molars, at the bottom, and filled to the orifice. In
putting in the gold, it should, during its introduction,
be kept fuller about the walls of the cavity than in
the center; by this means the adaptation will be
most perfect to the walls, and there will be no liabil-
ity of clogging up the center. The gold may thus be
built up to any desired extent if the filling is kept

dry ; moisture is fatal to its adhesiveness.
Others use the adhesive gold in a different manner.
To Dr. Blakesley belongs the honor of first detailing
the following plan : The sheet of gold may be folded
or not at the pleasure of the operator, and then each
sheet cut into from two to six strips, and these formed
into a loose roll between the thumb and fingers. It
may now be passed rapidly through the flame of a
spirit-lamp to remove any foreign substance that may