Milford chronicle., 1921-01-07
CROWNS

Uneasy lies the head that wears
the crown" is more true today thar
ever before. Not only is this true o.
kings, but it is also true of those
persons who have cold crowns il
their mouths.
While gold crowns are bad, even
when placed on live teeth, yet fa1
worse are the porcelain crowns that
usually require a dead tooth for their
support. Practically all dead teeth
must sooner or later become infected,
and that infection must sooner or la
ter be carried to some remote part of
the system to produce some second
airy disease in some organ of the body.
Speaking collectively, of crowns,
clasps, filings, all are very different
in form, yet all cause live injurious
effects when improperly placed. The
i'll effects which are assigned to
crowns are just as true of clasps and
filings that are improperly placed so
as to irritate the delicate gum mar
gin.
When crowns or clasps are so con-
structed as to be forced far down on
the neck of a tooth by operators OV-
erzealous to make what they term a
fine appearing piece of work." the
gum margin, due to close contact
with the sharp edge of the clasp or
crown, suffers pressure-necrOsis with
subsequent infection and serious in
VOlvement.
In the absence of this more serious
disturbance, the irritation of the mem
brane by the sharp crown or clasp
produces a fbrous tissue formation,
surrounding the point of irritation,
and this new-formed structure tends
to force the gum away from the ROOT
of the tooth. Food deposits then cas-
lily accumulate around the neck of the |
tooth, and around the neck of the |
crown or clasp, with their accom-
panying bacterial growth, and give |
rise to the primary infection of pyor-
rhea.
Practically this same effect may be
brought about by crowns that fit well,
but in which the excess of cement US
ed in fastening the crown has forced
its way beneath the gum margin and
has been allow to remain there, or, AT
best, has been but partially or imper-
fectly removed.
Again, clasps or crowns that are
not too long, but whose sharp mar
gins do not fit snugly about and grasp
the tooth firmly furnish sources thru
which the primary irritation and in
tial infection of the gum is made
possible.
Food readily collects around the ]
shoulders of such imperfect dental {
appliances and remains there, where S
t decays and gives to bacterial life
he most perfect and favorable field /
or its increase and growth. Within S
nore restricted limits the same may
e said of filings made to infringe
pon the gum tissues by being placed S
igh UP on the neck of the tooth and a
he margins or edges of which do not b
Din smoothly or evenly with the reg t.
lar outline of the enamel, either by Il
eing depressed below or elevated be- Il
ond its surface. b
This not only irritates the soft It's
les but furnishes a scaffold on which tt
utrescent matter full of micrO-or- W
anisms gather, to the detriment of tt
lie already susceptible tissues. In no
ss degree does bridgework partici- D
ate in the reduction of local infec- A
ons. Regardless of the manner of
unless unremittingly sc
red for by the individual wearing c.
ese appliances, we find almost with =
1t exception, beneath the bridge, ac- g
mutations of decaying organic mat 9
r to which we may trace the origin
infection.
Thus we see that ilI-fitting dental z
)rk affords a place for disease pro-
cling micro-organisms to grow. 9
ON these points of infection these Z
are carried through
t the system to start a secondary 2
lection wherever they find a favor :
lie field.
It is seldom that a gold crown fits 3
close that the finger nail will not
u a distinct shoulder at the neck. z
ese shoulders afford lodgment foI :
multitude of germs and are men
: to health. <