Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-12-06
Eor he Southern Standard.
Rental Surgery.

i' matter of great Importance alike to COM
unity. the Just merits of the science, and the
nharaster of those who follow the the profession
That Dentist is science, in the true accepta-
,;on Of the term, no one who is at all conversant
with its theoretical teachings, and practical advan-
tages, will deny. 1t is founded in knowledge of
the anatomy of the jaws, and the relations and
physiological functions of their various investing
and ramlfying organs and membranes-the erup-
ton, number, names and relative positions, of the
teeth, and the diseases to which they subject
together with the certain means of their preserva-
ton, or, in the last resort their replacement by
artificial substitutes. No other science can claim
higher or more distinguished and important char
acter than Dental Surgery. And while IN THIS IKE
all other sciences for any one to become acquaih-
ted with all it's branches, requires regular course
of study and practical teaching mere are pus
comparatively few, among the number engaged
in the profession, who thoroughly prepare Them
selves for its delicate and responsible duties
The first and most important feature of the Den
tai Art is the operation of filling, and thus pre-
servipg carious teeth The construction and in
seron of artificial teeth upon gold plate, and their
requirements upon roots by pivots, are interesting
and valuable operations; but they bear no COM
parson with the great value and amount of the
former when skillfully performed All persons,
under the common and universal effects of civil
aid of operative Dentistry while those only, who
either neglect to have their teeth filed at the prop
er time, and by skillful and honest practitioner,
or employ unlettered charlatans to destroy, by
pretended efforts to save, those invaluable and del
icate organs, are driven to the necessity of using
artificial teeth.
The operation of filling the cavities of carious
teeth, so as to ensure the permanency of the work
is, by far, the rarest accomplishment in the Den
tai Art, and is therefore but seldom met with,
among the hosts of aspirants for patronage and
fame in the profession The process is, indeed,
an intricate one, and depends mainly, when sue
cessful upon the formation of the cavity, the prep
aration of the material and the mode of manipu
lating. Gold foil, properly prepared by cutting
the sheets into three four pieces, and carefully
folding each piece, so to form strips the eighth
of an inch in width, a general rule, is the only
article in every way suitable and the mode here
stated the only manner of preparing it, for filing
cavities, of every description, in the teeth. And
the operator who does not follow this plan in filing
teeth, | care not how long he may have followed
the profession, nor what extent of notoriety he
may have acquired, his work will fail in the main
Tin foil is sometimes used for this purpose, and
without serious detriment to the teeth, though
poor substitute for gold. 1t will not injure these
organs by contact with them but, as it is far less
pure and ducte than gold, and is liable to corode
and discoor, it is difficult pack it hard, is insight
ly in the teeth, and insecure And, as for all the
other succedaneums, such as amalgams of lead
and quicksilver, with cementing ingredient, and
the various other poisonous pastes by whatsoever
names they may be called--ther possession even,
by member of the Dental profession, to say no.
thing of the application of them in attempting to
preserve the teeth, is disgraeeful to the man and
extremely injurious to the character of the science
And, any individual claiming to be a Dental Sur
geon, who should use or propose to use any of
these latter articles in filing the teeth should be
regarded by every body as gross pretender,
cheat and lmpOstor
The reason of the objection made to the use of
all succedaneums for gold in filling carious teeth,
and the severe denunciation here made of those
who adopt the practice, may be stated and made
plain and satisfactory to the mind of every one, in
a few words. Between the amagam and the sub
stance of the teeth filled there is no congruity or
agreement; and, although the filing may, it
usually does, remain in the cavity for several years,
vet, from the beginning, decay commences and
goes on under the plug until it finally reaches the
nervs of the tooth, which is indicated by excruci-
ating pain, and then it is too late to the
gan, in most cases, by proper filing with gold
During eight years experience in the profession,
have never known case, and great many such
have come under my observation and treatment,
where paste suceedaneum had been used, which
did not, sooner or later, result precisely in the
manner here stated. And, If it be argIed, that
such material may be used in teeth, that are too
far gone to be saved by proper filing with gold ;
l answer that carious teeth which liable to ache
at any time, and are the fruitful source of gum
bies and intolerable fetor should at once be re-
moved from the mouth.
With regard to the permanency and utility of
sklllful operations on the teeth, | remark, that
there is certainly no mechanical or manipulative
art, known to the world which is more useful and
effective than is that of operative Dentistry. 1t
is very true, and Notifying and unfortunate as
true, that, in this particular region of country
and many others, no doubt, not more than one,
out of every ten teeth, perhaps, of all that have
been filled during the last fifteen years, were
thereby preserved. That bad result, however,
was not the fault of the science, but rather the
effect of the bungling attempts of those who had
blindly and imprudently usurped its high bchests,
and abused It's distinguished and salutary functions.
When the cavity In tooth is properly filed with
gold foil, the work will certainly remain, without
change of position, or discoleration around the
hlllng for FIVE years; and, as general thing, en-
during i've years, it will continue sound ten, if
teen and even twenty years. And every skillful
operator well knows whilst filing cavity wheth-
er 1t VIII be permanent not !; and, as proof of
his tathtulness and success in dischargng his du-
ty, ne should be willing to give his written oblga-
ton 10 refund the money paid for the work in the
event OF Its accidentally falling short of the period
OF i've years at least. And, any one seeking prac-
tice IN the profession upon terms less STRINGENT or
taIr than these here stated should not be tolerated