The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-05-22

Ihere are about 800 young men Wht
viii come out OF college IN the present
commencement season as full-fedged
doctors OF dental surgery To keep the
ranks of the profession recruited Up to the
needs OF the race in the United States and
Canada requires some sixty institutions
where dental science is taught. There are
about 5000 students in these schools. a
little over one-third Of them graduating
every year There are some 5000 dental
practitioners in English-speaking North
America.
1t IS said that American dentistry leads
the world. Though Fauchard a French
man, Is commonly accredited with being
the father Of the profession. the leading
inventions and discoveries during the past
half-centry are the result of American
genius. II is only seventy years ago that
dentistry as a profession was born on
American soil In lS39 the first publication
relating to dentistry made its appearance,
The next year the American Society OF
Dental Surgeons was organized and the
first dental college in the world estab-
lished. This college was located in Baiti-
more. and to this day is turning out its
full quota Of graduate dentists
The present tendency OF dental practice
is rather 10 prevent the necessity for IL
than to resort to it. There is a movement
on foot TO have all schools teach children
the proper care of the teeth. In New
York two young dentists arranged 10 give
free treatment to needy school children
work is spreading rapidly. Their main
effort is to teach the little patients the
Importance OF proper care of the teeth.
There is an effort On foot to have regular
Genital surgeons In the army on the same
footing with the medical doctors. This
effort has borne some fruit in the APP
pontment Of contract surgeons.
Perhaps the most recent stride in dental
practice is the gold inlay work The gold
filling was at first a sort of stopper. put
in without any reference TO preserving the
contour of the tooth and adjusted by
main strength and awkwardness rather
than with any scientific skill. In 1855 a
Baltimore dentist-BaltmOre has always
led in all dental matters-dis cOvered the
cohesive qualities Of gold leaf. This dis
coFery led TO the reign Of the mallet and
punch. But more recently it has been
found that the gold filling can be prepared
by taking a wax impression OF the cavity
to be filled and making a filling to fit
that. a very durable cement has been
found which binds it firmly in place. so
that the era Of painless dentistry has
practically arrived. This new mode of
filling has several advantages. Tt is more
readily put I'm. gives less pain to the pa
tent and il can be placed in teeth that
would be too fragile to stand the mallet
method
Another very important step in dental
practice is the use Of the X-ray in photo
graphing the mouth. or course sthe ap-
paratus is expensive and few dentists vet
hitherto undiscOyerable troubles in the
Jaw bone can have them made plain by
the use Of the X-ray photographs Some
of these reveal that teeth that have never
come through are down in their sockets
making all sorts of unbearable pressure
on the other teeth. and in many other
ways interfering with the health and the
comfort Of the patients mouth
The filling Of teeth is no new thing
HerOdotus gives the first glimpse OF the
dental profession about 800 wears before
the Christian era But the beginning dates
even beyond that BY examining Egyptian
mummies the dentist of today can look
upon the work of his prototype of forty
centuries before Although the formula
that preserved their bodies has been a
lost art for many generations, the science
that preserved their teeth has been re-
tanned. Lead was the filling agent in
those times. Greece and Rome used gold
Filings in teeth, as is shown by a pro-
vision OF the great Twelve Laws. which
sets forth that IF anyOne's teeth have
been banded together with gold it shall
be unlawful to bury him with it," 1t
would seem from the expression banded
together that even bridge work was used
in those days.
After the discovery Of the cohesive
property of gold Leaf in 1855 it became nee
essery to find some method Of preventing
any moisture from reaching the TOOTH as
the slightest moisture destroys tire CO.
hesive power of gold ieaf. All sorts Of
things we're tried-bibulous PAPER alb
sorbent cotton and a dozen other things
all with Indifferent success. After ten
years of effort TO find something. dem
fist discovered what has long been that
greatest nightmare Of the dental chair
modern dentist has found wavs to use alb
sorbent cotton and other things which
serve the same purpose.
One of the most remarkable dental OPP