The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-05
FALSE TEETH BY THE MILLIONS.
Modern Dentistry Makes Use of Precious
| Metals in Great Quantities.

Metals in Great Quantities.
From the New York Sun.
The woman who is much troubled
over the necessity of having an arti-
hcial tooth inserted" said a dentist,
may take consolation from the fact
That there are about 20, 600 900 of such
teeth manufactured and sold annually
in the United States, allowing on an
average one artificial tooth for every
four years to each man, woman. and
child in the country.
On the authority of the greatest
manufacturer of dental supplies in the
country, 10000 ounces of pure gold are
worked up annually for use in flline.
teeth, in plates and soldiers. the value
of this gold approximating 81 ,000, 00o.
In addition there are about $4,000
ounces of platinum used annually 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 prac-
titioners has steadily increased until
now there are 20,422 dentists in theUnit-
ed States. Even the little towns of
Alaska have their dentists, there being
nine engaged in practice in the terri
tory. The majority of these men can
not have very much to do, because 30
of gold for filings, etc, divided between
20.422 dentists allows only about LOCO
teeth and a little less than $40 worth Of
gold a year to each dentist AS the
popular practitioners in large cities use
many times these amounts, many of
them earning from $4,000 to $4,000 a
year in the practice of their profession,
it will readily be seen that a good many
of the smaller ones must fall far below
the annual average.
THE use of electricity has worked
wonders in dentistry. Until the discoV-
cry of the X-rays it was often neces-
sary to remove a tooth in order to
learn the nature of some trouble at
the root, but now the root and a por-
ton of the jaWhone may be photo
graphed by means of the Roentgen
rays, the cause of the trouble located
and the tooth generally saved. The
average person, however, considers the
discovery of what is called dental cat
aphoresis to be of far greater import
ance to him personally, because of its
unprecedented power to deaden pain.
Cataphoresis is the process of driving
anaesthetics into the pone tissue, or
dentine, by means of a gentle current
of electricity applied to the cavity it
self. The method is rather interesting.
The cavity is first cleansed as thor
oughly as possible without causing
closed with a plug of cotton just large
enough to fill it without undue pres
sure at any point. The electrode is
placed in the moistened hand of the
patient, who is required to grip it just
tight enough to secure good connec-
ton. The anaesthetic to be used is
drawn into the barrel of the syringe
and injected into the cotton. The cur
rent is then turned on and gradually
increased until the proper amount is
reached. If complete insulation is Sc
cured the process is not accompanied
by s. nsation of any kind and the sub
sequent drilling which is necessary in
order to cleanse the cavity prior to
filling it can be done without apprecia-
bic pain. Without the aid of cata-
phoresis, 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 current of electricity in
a way similar to that in which an an
esthetic is driven into sensitive dem
tine. Even a tooth that has become
very much discolored as a result of
the improper treatment of a dead
nerve may be rendered beautifully
white by this means. In fact, cleo
tricity is now used by some up-to-date
nected with his work. 1t is used for
killing nerves; it 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.
"The dentist of % or even 10 years
ago who had not kept abreast of the
times would hardly know what to
make of the many improvements in
the modern practitioners operating
room. The steriliZer, for example, into
which every instrument is placed after
being used, is now considered as ne
cessary a part of the office furniture
as the treadie or the hydraulic chair.
The certainty that every instrument
put into the mouth has been thorough
ly sterilized since being previously
used means a great deal to a sensitive
patient. U.t-
IF dentistry improves proportionate-
ly during the next so years as it has
during the last decade, by the middle
of the goth century women will look
upon visit to the dentist with no
greater dread than is now inspired by
the prospect Of a shopping tour. 1t is
probable too, that artificial teeth will
become more and more natural every
year. Even now the blush white teeth
SO common few years ago are seldom
seen, and the porcelain filings, which
a. uais SioW4iS III popularity are 81
identical in tint and appearance with
the teeth of which they form a part
that their presence can hardly be de-
tected. Their preparation and inser-
ton, however require considerable
skill. They are generally first shaped
to the. cavity, then baked, glazed and
carefully inserted. The superior beau
ty of these filings over the conspicu-
GUS gold ones is apparent to the peo-
pie most conservative in adopting new
ideas"