Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1909-12-24
MODERN DENTISTRY.
How Gold InIays Are Made and Put
Into the Teeth.

The modern dentist now makes gold
lnlays as we'll as inlays OF porcelain.
In making an ordinary gold filling
the cavity in the tooth Is made
larger within than at its opening. the
walls thus contracting helping to hold
the filling In. The cavity for a 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 q filling malleted In. For
one reason it may be that the walls
OF the tooth are too frsil to stand
the malleting without danger of
breaking, or It may be that the gold
inlay is to 90 into back. grinding
tooth, where a malleted fllling would
not serve the purpose. An ordinary
gold filling such as Is malleted in is
made OF puro gold; II 1t were 9th
erwise 1t could not be worked; gold
inlay can be alleged to make 1t OF
a degree of hardness sufficient to
Withstand use.
Porcelain inlays are commonly sci
in front teeth, where they do moi
show as q gold filling would. The
porcelain powders OF which such in
Lays are made are produced In 9
practically endless variety Of shades
which can be further varied by com
bination.
It IL possible to make porcelain
inlay that will match the surrounding
tooth so perfectly that except upeI
the closest inspection It is impossi
BILE to tell where the tooth leaves of
and inlay begins. Porcelain inlays
which are moulded into shape from
the plastic material and then baked
may be set in grinding teeth. bu
this Is not commonly done. A porce
lain inlay that might not break
stepped on might break in grind
ing tooth in use.
A perfect amalgam filing will wea
as well and as long as the tooth II
which 1t Is set, but amalgam discol
ors in time, and there are person
who will not have an amalgam fill
ing even in a back tooth, out o
sight. For these people for a grind
ing tooth gold inlays are made.
In whatever sort Of tooth the gol,
inlay is to be placed the cavit
when drilled out Is furrowed dow
its sides within with little grooves
into which corresponding moulding
on the inlay will fit, this to hold tn
inlay more securely In place and tn
better to enable 1t to withstand prei
sure applied to 1t from various diret
tons, and with the cavity finished
form or pattern Is taken of 1t in wal
. Into one end of this little form o
, pattern In wax Is thrust a delicat
wire, by which 1t con be handle
without handling the form itself, an
then this pattern is set in tin
flask, and around it, as in a foundr
the moulders pack sand around pa
terns In making moulds in bigse
TASKS, plaster is packed.
When this tiny mould containin
the wax pattern for the inlay hs
hardened the wire is drawn out {
the pattern and the wax Is melte
out OF the mould, and then there
the mould ready for the casting
which is done by the aid OF variou
special appliances made for the pu
pose. Then you break the nttl
plaster mould and there, release,
you have the gold inlay.
1t is set into place with cemen
which after an hour or two In whic
to harden holds the inlay firmly an
securely anchored. In due time late
the dentist will grind it down aroun
to mako 1t perfectly flush with tn
surrounding tooth surface and polls
it.-New York Sun.