The Washington herald., 1909-05-22

Another very important step in dental
practice is the use Of the X-ray in photo
graphing the mouth or course. the ap-
paratus is expensive and few dentists yet
have H. but the person suffering with
hitherto undiscoverable 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 Gown 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 filing Of teeth is no new thing
HerodOtus gives the first glimpse OF the
dental profession about so years before
the Christian era. But the beginning
dates even beyond that. BY examining
Egyptian mUmmies the dentist Of to-day
can look upon the work Of his prototype
Of forty centuries before. Although the
formula that preserved their bodies has
been q lost art for many generations. the
science that preserved their teeth has
been retained Lead was the filing agent
in those times. Greece and Rome used
gold filings in teeth. as is shown by
provision OF the great Twelve Laws.
which sets forth that IF any ones teeth
have been banded together with gold il
shall not be unlawful 10 bury him with
il" Il would seem from the expression
banded together that even Bird e work
was used in those days. -
After the discovery Of the cohesive
property Of gold leaf in 1850 it became
necessary 70 find some method of pre-
venting any moisture from reaching the
tooth as the slightest moisture destroys
the cohesive power Of gold leaf. All
sorts Of things were tried-bibilous paper,
absorbent cotton. and a dozen other
things al with Indifferent success.
After ten years OF effort to find some
thing, a dentist discovered what has long
been that greatest nightmare Of the den
tai chair, the rubber dam. Now the thor
0ughly modern dentist has found ways 70
use absorbent cotton and other things
which serve the same purpose.
One OF the most remarkable dental
operations Of the day IS the growing OF
natural teeth into the gums where others
have been extracted. The idea Is not
entir~ly new. but Il Is only IN recent years
that il has proven successful. The tooth
acquires all the fTmness and rightly OF
the original. and It Is proof against
aches. The use Of porcelain filings has
also met with favor wherever tried. and
it is thought they will become the filing
Of the future. Germany produces a sort
OF cement that becomes as hard as ada
mant when properly prepared. II is pos
sible 10 so color this as to make It exact
~ match the tooth TO be filled II can
be prepared like the gold inlay filing.
a. A.
the filings Of teeth will be more or less
invisible.
But even with this the dentist Is not
entirely satisfied. What he is looking for
IS a nonnetaI, plastic mineral substance
which can be used like the ordinary
amalgam. but which viii not give the
unsightly appearance Of amalgam filing
Many a dentist has sought early and late
and long for this ideal filing. but as yet
the effort has been Ike the quest for St
Brandon's Isle or the chasing Of the
Will-o'-the-wisp-
Artificial teeth came to US from France.
But It is declared that the American den
lists can make more slightly, comfortable,
and durable teeth than the Frenchmen.
With ali their progress the best OF the
patients and learn things. Some years
age an eminent dentist prepared a plate
for a patient. This patient had a very
sensitive roof in his mouth, and the sue
ton Of the plate gave him violent reich
ings. He put salt on the plate for the
purpose Of rendering its presence more
toierable, and his dentist. who was also
a professor Of dentistry in the dental de-
partment OF State university. has used
the idea IN his lectures ever since.
The calling Of the dentist is one large
y made necessary by civilization. The
natives Of Africa never need a dentist so
long as they do not adopt the superior
civilization Of the white race One OF the
best evidences Of what modern NcivilIza-
ton VIII do for the teeth is to be had
in the case OF the American negro and
the Indian. The one in slavery and the
other in his savage state never knew
such thing as the Ioothache. Now the
gold crown. the bridge work. and the
all I'll