Dental surgery for general practitioners and students of medicine / by Ashley W. Barrett.

  • Barrett, A. W (Ashley William)
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dental surgery for general practitioners and students of medicine / by Ashley W. Barrett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    ing, evinced by a greatly increased flow of saliva, with febrile symptoms and convulsive movements. Relief may be then afforded by passing a well protected lancet through the whitened nodule of gum down to the erupting crown. Such an operation should, however, be performed only when the mucous membrane of the mouth is in a healthy condition, and when also it is quite evident to the sense of touch, that the cutting edge of the new tooth is bound down by the tense and fibrous gum. At the age of four years absorption of the fangs of the temporary teeth commences and those of the incisors are first attacked. This process, in its nature purely vital and in no way mechanical, is brought about by the action of the Absorptive Papilla, a mass of many nucleated cells that lies closely behind and eating into each temporary fang, and intervening between the latter and the crown of its permanent successor. A growing permanent tooth is placed immediately behind and below the fang of each temporary incisor and canine, while underneath each temporary molar, and embraced within its widely diverging fangs, is the crown of the bicuspid that is to take its place. A knowledge of the latter fact is of value when it becomes necessary to extract a temporary molar, and the forceps should then be applied with caution and not thrust deeply into the alveolus, lest the permanent be taken out with the temporary tooth. It is not often necessary to extract a temporary tooth to make room for its permanent successor, since the rapid development of the jaw and consequent expansion of the alveolar arch that occurs during childhood tends to per-
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