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PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS, 237

those agencies which are apt to induce the condition.
As to the extent of this inflammation, it may be con-
fined to a thin lamina of bone immediately beneath
the decomposed portion, or may extend deep into the
body of the tooth, and, indeed, in some cases, pervade
the dentine of the entire crown. This latter extent,

however, it is not likely to have, unless there is a
general predisposition : if it is produced by local
causes, it will not, in general, penetrate very deeply
into the dentine. Most commonly, the greatest
sensitiveness is at the union of the dentine with
the enamel; but, sometimes, it is confined to a small
point within the cavity, either because there is a
concentration of nerve-fibrils there, or because there
has been a determination of the irritating influences
to that point—the former being probably the more

frequent. The greatest sensitiveness, as already re-
marked, is generally at the surface of the dentine,
because that is the termination of the nerve-fibrils
which ramify the dentine, and wherever nerve-fiber
terminates, there always we may look for exalted
sensibility. Hence it is, that decay of the teeth is
often found to be more sensitive in its incipient
stages, than when it has become more advanced.

Treatment of Inflamed Dentine.—There are several
methods of treatment that may be employed to

remedy this condition. In many cases, whore time