The evening times., 1899-07-15
MILLIONS OF FALSE TEETH.
Enormous Use of Precious Metals In
Modern Dentistry.
(From the New York Sum-

(From the New York SUM-
THE man or woman who is much trou-
bled over the necessity Of having an artif-
cial tooth inserted" said dentist. may
take consolation from the fact that there
are about 20, 600 900 Of such teeth manu-
faetured and sold annually in the United
States, allowing ON an average one artifi-
cial tooth every four years to each man,
woman. and child in the country.
''On the authority of the greatest manu-
facturer OF dental supplies in the country,
10000 ounces of pure gold are worked up
annually for use in filling teeth. in plates
and soldiers, the value of this gold approxi-
mating s1.000.000. In addition there are
about $4,000 ounces of platinum used an
nually by the various manufacturers OF
porcelain teeth, TO say nothing of the large
amount of silver amalgam prepared for
inconspicuous filings, such as those in the
back teeth. The number of practitioners
has steadily increased, until now there are
20.422 dentists in the United States Even
, the little towns of Alaska have their den
lists. there being nine engaged in practice
in the territory. The majority OF these
men cannot have very much to do, because
100000 900 false teeth and 81 600 900 worth
OF golq Tor hillngS, ETC., divided between
, 20,422 dentists allows only about
1000 teeth and little less than $40 worth
OF gold year to each dentist. AS the
poPOidI IN large cities
many times these amounts. many of them
earning from $4,000 to S15, 900 year in the
! practice of their profession, il will readily
be seen that good many of the smaller
ones must fall far below the annual aver
! age
! The use of electricity has worked won
| Gers in dentistry. Until the discovery of
| the x-rays il was often necessary to re-
move tooth in order to learn the nature
| OF some trouble at the root: but now the
root and portion of the jawbone may be
| photographed by means of the Roentsen
| rays, the cause of the trouble located. and
! the tooth generally saved. The average
| person, however, considers the discovery
of what is called dental cataphoresis TO be
/ OF far greater Importance to him person.
! ALLY, because of its unprecedented power
| to deaden pain. Cataphoresis is the process
of driving anestheties into the bone It's
! sue or dentine by means Of a gentle cur
rent of electricity applied to the cavity it
| self. This method is rather interesting.
The cavity is first cieansed as thoroughly
| as possible without discomfort to the pa
| tient, and is then closed with a plug of
cotton just large enough to fill it without
| undue pressure at any point. The cleo
( trode is placed in the moistened hand of
| the patient, who is required to grip it lust
| tight enough to secure good connection.
The anesthetic to be used is drawn into
the barrel OF the syringe and injected in
| to the cotton. The current is then turned
| on and gradually increased until the prop
er amount is reached If complete insu-
! lation is secured, the process is mot ac-
companied by sensation of any kind, and
the subsequent drilling which is necessary
in order to cleanse the cavity prior to fill
| ing it can be done without appreciabIe
pain. Without the aid of cataphoresis
| however there is no such thing as good
workmanship in painless dentistry.
| But the new cataphoric bleaching is
| even more appreciated by women The
bleaching fluid Is driven into the tooth by
means Of a current Of electricity In a way
| similar to that in which anesthetic is driy-
en- into sensitive dentine. Even a tooth
| as result OF the improper treatment OF
| a dead nerve may be rendered beautifully
| white by this means. In fact, electricity
| Is now used by the up-to-date dentist for
! nearly everything connected with his
work. 1t is used for killing nerves. 1t
| propels the treadle for cutting and the
mallet for filling; while light is supplied
| to the mouth lamp and heat to the hot-air
syringe by the same means.
/ 1.-The dentist of twenty -five-or even ter
years ago, who had not kept abreast OF
| the times would hardly know what to make
4 or the many improvements In the modern
practitioners operating room. The ster.
ilizer, for instance, into which every in
| strument is placed after being used, is
now considered as necessary part of the
Office furniture as the treadle or the by
|,draulic chair. The certainty that every in.
strument put into tie mouth has been thor.
oughly -sterilized since being previousl,
used means a great deal to a sensitive pa.
| tient.
1T dentistry improves proportionatel,
during the next fifty years as it has durine
the last decade, by the middle of tht
| twentieth century women will look upon
| visit to the dentist with no greater dread
than is now inspired by the prospect OF 9
! shopping tour. It is probable, too, thai
artificial teeth Will become more and more
| natural every year. Even now the biuisi
white teeth SO common few years age
are seldom seen, and the porcelain Filings
which are daily growing in popularity arr
so identical in tint and appearance with ths
teeth of which they form part that theil
| presence can hardly be detected. Thei,
preparation and insertion. however, requirs
considerable skill. They are generally frs
shaped to the cavity, then baked. glazed
| and carefully inserted. The superior
beauty of these filings over the conspicu-
] Gus gold ones is apparent to the people
most conservative in adopting new ideas.