The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-12
THE NEW DENTISTRY.
In Contrast with the Old Methods
Practiced.
From the New York Post.

From the New York Post.
1.-THE talk of appointing dental surgeons
to the army" said a professor of the Col
lege of Dentistry in New York to a Post
reporter recently, "while no decisive steps
have as yet been taken in the matter, calls
attention to the recent rapid advance of
dental surgery, which is now practically
a new profession. That America is the
birthplace of the art of dentistry is con-
ceded, and the American dentist, or dem
tai surgeon, practices for love of his pro-
fession, and seeks by advanced modes of
scientific study and perfected appliances
to advance the science.
Modern dental science brings with it an
accompaniment of newly invented electrl-
cal appliances and new modes of work,
and the newest of all is the man who can
perform absolutely painless dental opera
lions. The oldtime terror of all things
dental has disappeared, and, instead of the
courage to visit ones dentist being born of
despair, most of our patients come regu-
larly about every three months to have
their teeth looked over and cared for, If
necessary.
Dental surgery Is really taught as a
speciality of medicine nowadays, and al
most the entire medical course is included
in the dental education which embraces
a course of three entire years.
zone of the latest dental inventions is
the saliva fountain. which combines with
ii a faucet for running water, and sa-
Iva ejector, which is a great convenience
and often a necessity, as in many cases
the saliva cannot be otherwise controlled
during an operation. 1t consists of a
curved glass tube, acting on the principle
of a siphon. Many electrical appliances
are now in use; new ones are constantly
appearing. Electricity is much used in
modern dentistry, notably as the motive
power for the dental engine.
"The perfection of dental anaesthesia is
one of the greatest strides made in the
profession, and the manner of driving the
anaesthetic into the tissues by means of
electricity is one of the new dental pro-
cesses most in vogue This mode is pain
less, as il is by hypodermic injection, so
that the old-time dental butcher has been
forever relegated to the shelf in the COM
pany of the tooth carpenter of former
days.
"A comparison between old and new
methods can scarcely be made, as the
methods are really all new, the old dem
tistry consisting mainly of extracting
which has now become a speciality. Teeth
are no longer extracted if 1t is possible to
save them, and for that reason crown
sorts of artificial teeth are so perfectly
made as to escape detection.
THE general laws of asepsis and steri-
lization of instruments in surgery obtain
in dental surgery all instruments being
carefully sterilized before and after use
An astonishing number of children, some
as young as years, receive dental treat
ment-the theory being well supported that
proper care of the temporary set insures
the proper development and alignment of
the permanent teeth SO much of the fear
of the dental operation has been removed
that the dentist has almost practically
ceased to be regarded by the children as
an ogre who delights to infiict suffering.
MANY women are also going into dent
istry and while they may be successful
up TO a certain point il seems to me that
ii Is the last professor in the world for
women.
''An American dentist settling in almost
any European city is fairly certain Of sue
cess, and for that reason many young
men who wish to live abroad study dent
istry rather than medicine