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MFX'HANICAL FIXATION 11

For finishing and polisliinn .•Carborundum-stones;
sand})aper and cuttlefish discs perforated articu-
;
lating-paper.

The Mechanical Fixation of Loose Teeth.
A higher degree of looseness most commonl}' occurs
in the lower front teeth. Even if only two or three
incisors are affected, the retaining appliance should
include the canines.
At the first sitting I drill all the front teeth through
their upper third by means of a fine lancet burr.
The drilling is to be done about the centre of the
retaining-plate, without irritating the pulp or weaken-
ing brittle teeth near their cutting edges.
Begin with drilling through one central incisor
;
pass a pin through so as to stand out partly from the
mouth, while the point is in the mouth. In the case
of timid patients, the point of the pin should be
covered with a pellet of wax or gutta-percha.
When drilling, the left hand holds the loose tooth,
while the right keeps the lancet burr parallel to the
floor of the oral cavity. The burr is to be frequently
taken out and lubricated.
Very sharp burrs are a cardinal necessity.
In the case of the second incisor the first pin serves
as a guide, the one half standing out from the mouth
for the hand-piece, the other half, being in the oral
cavity, for the lancet burr. Like the first, the second
is also fitted with a pin after it has been drilled.