Page 197 - My FlipBook

FILLING BY CLASSES AND MODIFICATIONS. 193

been made with the view of excluding the saliva by
building a fortification of some proper material about

Fig. 50.

the tooth. But while in some cases this method will
accomplish the desired result, in the greater propor-
tion of instances it will prove a failure.
Afar better and more efficient method—one recently
adopted—is the use of fine rubber cloth, forming with
it a coffer-dam ; which is done by making a round hole,
or series of holes, from two to four lines in diameter
through a piece of the cloth, which should be from four
to six inches square ; draw this over the tooth to be pro-

tected and those immediately adjoining; it should be
manipulated well up on the neck of the tooth, even
beneath the free margin of the gum; if a proper adjust-
ment is made, the saliva will be entirely excluded, and
for afar longer time than by any other method now used.