Page 290 - My FlipBook

286 FILLING ROOTS.

good rolling-mill, as thin as possible, keeping it well
annealed ; and of this, form the cones, and introduce
them as already directed. Made in this way, they
are stiffer, and fill up much more rapidly, than when
made of foil. They are to be condensed in the same
manner. Where the canal has been formed with a
tapered broach, it may be filled with a gold wire,
made of the same size and taper of the broach ; this

wire may be cut off at the orifice of the canal, or left
protruding more or less into the decayed cavity, and

be covered up with the filling. When a lost por-
tion of the form of a tooth is to be restored, such
projecting wires may be made very valuable as
anchorages.
Some other substances have been thought quite as
suitable for filling the roots of teeth as gold. Lead
has been employed for this purpose; but the principal
difficulty with this is, to get it into such a condition
as to be used with facility; but, if as completely
introduced, it would probably answer the purpose
quite as well as gold. Tin foil is also used, and,
under favorable circumstances, with success. Some
experiments, too, have been made with plaster of

Paris and similar substances, for filling roots and pulp
cavities'; but with what success, it is not ascertained
—some claiming instances of success, and others re-
porting, in every instance, failure ; so that there are