Methods of filling teeth : an exposition of practical methods / by Rodrigues Ottolengui.

  • Ottolengui, Rodrigues, 1861-1937.
Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Methods of filling teeth : an exposition of practical methods / by Rodrigues Ottolengui. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    METHODS OF FILLING TEETH. CHAPTER I. General Principles involved in the Preparation of Cavities— Removal of Decay—Retentive Shaping—Intentional Extension- Directions for Forming Cavity-Borders—Shaping Enamel Mar- gins. Now that the dentist is no longer to be denominated the ‘ ‘ knight of the forceps,” it is fundamentally essential that he who would become a conscientious practitioner should be able to determine whether a tooth be salvable by the insertion of a filling ; to decide which of the many materials now in use will best attain the end in view ; to prop- erly prepare the cavity for the reception and continued retention of the filling, and be capable of scientifically and skillfully placing it so that it will be as nearly perfect as the attending conditions will permit. This much has been accomplished by a goodly number of the dentists of the past and present. Something more will be expected of the dentist of the future. He will be asked to abandon the assertion, “Madam, your tooth has decayed around my filling, but the filling was all right. ’ ’ Undoubtedly there are teeth in which it may be impossible to prevent recurrence of decay, but it is equally true that in too many cases when the “tooth decays around the filling” the filling was not “all right.” It is opportune, therefore, to discuss these questions more in detail than has been done heretofore. Those whose fillings are frequently returned to them in a leaky condition are compelled to adopt one of two propositions : Either their work is inefficient, or else the teeth upon which they have operated are of poor quality. It is but human to lean toward the latter explanation. The position, however, is rarely tenable. The argu- ment used is this : “ If the tooth decayed when it was perfect, why