The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-08-23
The Dental Association.

The first of yesterday mornings session of
the Maine Dental Association was devoted to
clinic, after which DIR. Bacon of this city read
very interesting paper on the absorption of
the roots of temporary teeth. Prof. Abbott
spoke at some length upon the paper and at
noon the association adjourned.
The following is brief synopsi of DR.. Fill
lebrown's paper upon continuous gum work:
The term continuous gum work" is us ed TO
designate the fastening of porcelain teeth to
plates, by means of fusibie compound, APP
piled to the plate-whicb is platinum plate
and around the teeth, and moulded and colored
to represent natural gum. The process makes
an almost homogeneous mass of the teetb,
gums and plate. The first appearance of this
branch of dental art was between the years
1916 and 1920, in France. M. de Chemant, who
claimed and was allowed patents for the nven-
ton of mineral porcelain, first constructed his
dentures in one piece, the gum part being
painted after vitrifcation. The paint was cas-
lily destroyed by wear, and NM. Foubi and
Delabarre, about 1918, substituted jewelers.
enamel for de Chemant's paint. This cracked
and wore away, and Delabarre, in 1919 or 1920,
conceived the idea of Embedding the separate
teeth in the base and joining them thereto by
a composition which should fuse at lower
heat than the teeth or base, and being properly
moulded with coloring matter in the substance
of the material. should thus form ontinuous
gum of indistructible color. This Delabarre
accomplished and thus constructed the first
continuous gum"
Between 1884 and 1847, experiments were
made in this country on this kind of work with
varying and somewhat Indifferent success. In
1884 DR.. Thomas Harrison of Buffalo, COM
menced experiments in continuous gum work.
and in 1S43 made set of such teeth which
were in use eight years afterward. About 1916
or 1847, DR.. John Allen of Cincinnati, began
the investigation of this subject, and DR.. VIM,
Hunter began his experiments at the same time.
On the 29th of April, 1851 DIR. Allen fled a
cdUeot in the patent Office for a "fusible cement
OF which an artificial gum is formedsapplicable
to artificial teeth, and by means of which they
are set" At the twelfth annual meeting of
the American Society of Dental Surgeons at
Philadelphia, in August, 1851, Dr. Allen exhib-
tied specimens of his work.
In December, 1851, he obtained a patent for
his invention, and year later began a suit
against Dr. Hunter for an alleged Infringement
The case was decided in favor of Dr. Hunter
but in June, 1856, card appeared from Dr.
Hunter announcing that the unpleasant con.
troversy between DIR. Allen and himself, which
led to suit had been amicsbly adjusted since
It's termination, and that DR.. Allen would
henceforth be entitled to any advantages he or
the public may find in any ideas that have
been regarded as peculiarly his own."
Thus was perfected Dr. Aliens claim to the
control of what has since been known as
"Ailep's continuous gum work" 1t has been
used in this city by Drs. Bacon, Parsons
Coffin and others, by DR.. j. B. FilIebrown of
Winthrop, and by other dentists in different
parts of the state.