Page 27 - My FlipBook

TARTAR. 23

amount of skill, but, with suitable appliances, is

easily performed. There are two methods of effect-
ing it; the one, that of scaling and scraping, and the
other, that of decomposing the deposit by the appli-
cation of an acid. The former is always to be pre-
ferred; for, in the latter, the chemical action of the
acid does not stop with a decomposition of the de-
posit, but, by the same affinity, and nearly as readily
%
attacks the tooth itself. For the successful accom-
plishment of the operation, instruments of various

forms and curves will be necessary, adapted and ad-
justed to the various shapes and situations of the

surfaces to be operated upon. The most common
forms are represented in the following figure. The
blade of the instrument should be applied at a slightly
obtuse angle with the surface of the tooth, just beyond

Fiji. 2.

the edge of the deposit next the gum, and thus slid
under the tartar, scaling it off to the point, in such a
manner as not to roughen or abrade the enamel. De-