The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-28
A CHAPTER ON TEETH.

The proceedings of the Convention of
Dental Surgeons held last week al WASH
ingtnn enables the reader to form an idea
of the revolution which has been effected
in the science of dentistry within the past
few years. Many people remember when
the treatment of diseased teeth was in
trusted to operators of bat slight scientific
attainments; In old collections of cariea-
ture common picture represents sufferer
dragged round by a practitioner who holds
a sick mOlar with pair OF tongs. The
prevalence OF diseased teeth in this cOun-
try, which has been absorbed TO the indis-
Greet use of iced water and sweets. led 10
a closer study of dentistry here than In
Europe. and for forty years American den
lists have been at the head of the profess
sion. But it is only Of late years that they
have established their claim TO the dis
tinction. We have now surgeons of the
highest ability who bring to bear on the
teeth the fruits of science as elabo-
rate as that which is possessed by profess
sOrs of any other branch Of surgery. Some
of their experiences were explained TO
those who attended the convention at
Washington.
The old remedy for toOthache was to
pull the tooth. That is treatment which
is now rarely resOrted to by skillful prac-
titioners. Teeth are still extracted where
there IS not room for them IN the mouth
in consequence of the gradual contraction
of the human jaw, and occasionally a dis
eased tooth is the seat Of such complicated
trouble that it cannot be saved But as
rule modern dentists seek to preserve
rather than TO remove the teeth. They
treat the tooth as diseased organ, medi-
cally aud surgcslly. and if possible they
restore it TO health. There are a great
many ways in which the lancinating pain
caused by Inflammation of the tooth pulp
can be arrested, and good strong tooth is
a handy thing to have in the mouth.
Forty or fifty years ago the transplanta-
ton of teeth was tried experimentally in
this country. 1t did not succeed, and the
practice was abandoned. 1t has now been
revived, and in skiIlful bands it is a
success. The leaders Of the profession
constantly hammer a tooth drawn from
the jaw of one person into a cavity in the
jaw of another. relying upon nature to
adopt the intruder and to reunite the torn
alveOlar membranes. 1t is the same OPP
Grafton as transportation of the skin.
The whole industry OF false teeth max
ing or teeth-illing has been revolutionized
in the last twenty-five years. In the old
practice filings and plates were generally
Of gold. Now the filings are almost in
yarlably of porcelain, consisting chiefly of
kaoliD, and the best plates are Of rubber.
When the hole in the tooth has been
cleaned out by instruments made for the
purpose. a piece of thin platinum foil is
introduced into the cavity and manipula-
ted TO take the exact shape of the hole il
is then carefully withdrawn, and forms a
mold in which a porcelain cast may be
made. Porcelain is far cheaper than gold :;
good teeth. in any shade of color required,
can be bought of the manufacturers for 10
cents each.
Dentists charges have grown with the
progress Of their profession. Some of
them charge S15 an hour for their time,
and not unfrequently $500 for treating a
single tooth. Such charges are, Of course,
eXorDi'ant. and juries generally refuse to
allow them. But man of skill claims the
right to put any price he pleases on his
skill; If people can't afford TO pay his
charges they can go elsewhere. The true
remedy is to encourage the establishment
in business of more dentists who thor
oughly understand their profession, and
who can afford to give their services to the
public for five or six thousand a year.