Page 339 - My FlipBook

EXTRACTING INSTRUMENTS. 335

attachment on one side of the tooth, coming in con-
tact with but a small portion of it, and has a resting
point for a fulcrum on the adjacent parts, the gum

and the alveolus. The latter embraces the tooth on
both sides, and has no fulcrum resting on the adjacent
parts. There are other instruments somewhat differ-
ent from these in their application ; but the principle
on which they operate, is the same. For instance,
the elevator has a point of embrace or contact with

the teeth, and a fulcrum or resting point on the ad-
jacent parts, the power being applied to the handle,
as to a lever. The screw makes its attachment inside
of the tooth, instead of outside, like the forceps, and
does not touch any other part.
There should always be at hand a sufficient
number and variety of instruments to meet every
case, however rare its occurrence. Desirabode re-
commends the employment of but four instruments

for the removal of all the teeth : the first is a forceps,
and the other three are nothing more than so many

different forms of the elevator. He was not familiar
with the present improvements in extracting instru-
ments, or he could not have made such a recommen-
dation.