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P. 81
MATERIALS FOR FILLING. 77
though he perform them unskillfully, yet the kind
energy of nature is always present to assist him ; but
in this specialty the practitioner must necessarily. de-
pend more upon his skill, and less upon the curative
efforts of nature ; though much more reliance is placed
upon it now than formerly.
MATERIALS FOR FILLING.
In the selection of materials for rilling teeth, there
are some important considerations that should be
kept constantly in view; the first and principal of
which is to choose that kind which will protect the
tooth from further decay — protect the affected part
against the influence of those agencies on which the
disease depends. A material or class of materials
should be selected that would not, under any circum-
stances, operate either as a local or a constitutional
injury. There are several properties that materials
for filling teeth should possess, one of the most impor-
tant of which is indestructibility. Any substance,
whether simple or compound, that will not maintain
its identity and integrity when subjected to any con-
ditions of the mouth, is wholly unfit to be used as a
material for filling. If compounds are employed, they
should be such as would not be affected by the secre-
tions of the mouth, or by any attendant conditions.
