The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1909-12-25
MODERN DENTISTRY.
How Gold InIays Are Made and Put
into the Teeth.

tntO tn0 tO0s's
The modern dentist now makes gold
inlays as we'll as inlays Of porcelain.
In making an ordinary gold filing
the cavity in the tooth Is made
larger within than at It's opening, the
walls thus contracting helping to hold
the filling in. The cavity for gold
inlay must of course be at least as
large at the opening as at any In
terror point, for the inlay is In a
solid block.
There may be various, reasons for
putting into tooth gold inlay in
stead of filling malleted in. For
one reason it may be that the walls
Of the tooth are too frail to stand
the malleting without danger OF
breaking, or 1t may be that the gold
inlay is to 60 into a back, grinding
tooth, where a malleted filing would
not serve the purpose. An ordinary
gold filling such as is malleted in Is
made of pure gold; II it were 9TH
erwise 1t could not be worked; a gold
inlay can be alleged to make 1t OF
degree OF hardness sufficient to
Withstand use.
Porcelain inlays are commonly set
in front testh, where they do not
show as gold filing would. The
porcelain powders of which such IN
lays ara made are produced In a
practically endless variety of shades,
Which can be further varied by COM
bination.
It Is possible to make porcelain
inlay that will match the surrounding
tooth so perfectly that except upon
the closest inspection 1t is impossi-
BILE to toll where the tooth leaves off
and inlay begins. Porcelain inlays,
which are moulded into shape from
the plastic material and then baked,
may bbe set in grinding teeth, but
this is not commonly done. A porce-
lain inlay that might not break II
stepped On might break in a grind
ing tooth in use.
A perfect amalgam filling will wear
as well and as long as the tooth in
which it is set, but amalsam discol.
ors in time, and there are persons
who will not have an amalgam fill.
ing even in a back tooth, out of
sight. For these people for a grind.
ing tooth gold inlays are made.
In whatever sort of tooth the gold
inlay is to be placed the cavity
when drilled out is furrowed down
its sides within with little grooves,
into which corresponding mouldings
on the inlay will fit, this to hold the
inlay more securely in place and the
better to enable it to Withstand pres
sure applied to it from various direc-
tons, and with the cavity finished a
form or pattern is taken of 1t in wax.
Into one end Of this little form or
pattern in wax is thrust a delicate
wire, by which 1t con be handled
without handling the form itself, and
then this pattern is set in a tiny
flask, and around it, as in a foundry
the moulders pack sand around pat
terms in making moulds in bigger
TASKS, plaster is packed.
When this tiny mould containing
the wax pattern for the inlay has
hardened the wire is drawn out OF
the pattern and the wax is melted
out of the mould, and then there is
the mould ready for the casting,
which is done by the aid Of various
special appliances made for the pur.
pose. Then you break the little
plaster mould and there, released,
you have the gold inlay.
It is set into place with cement,
which after an hour OR two in which
to harden holds the inlay firmly and
securely anchored. In due time later
the dentist will grind it down around
to mako it perfectly flush with the
surrounding tooth surface and polish
tt.-New York Sun.