AN IMPROVED METHOD OR METHODS OF CONSTRUCTING AND FIXING ARTIFICIAL TEETH AND GUMS, AND OF SUPPLYING DEFICIENCIES IN THE MOUTH
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EDWIN THOMAS TRUMAN, of 40, Haymarket, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Dentist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster,
the Fifteenth day of August, One thousand eight hundred and forty-
eight, in the twelfth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Edwin Thomas
Truman, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Iler especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Edwin Thomas
Truman, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Edwin Thomas Truman, my exors, adññiors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OR METHODS OF CONSTRUCTING AND FIXING ARTIFICIAL TEETH
AND GUMS, AND OF SUPPLYING DEFICIENCIES IN THE MOUTH;" in which

page_text: said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Edwin
Thomas Truman, should cause a particular description of the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Edwin Thomas Truman, do hereby declare that the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, first, of employing gutta percha in the manu-
facture of artificial teeth and gums, and in making good other defects
in the mouth in connection therewith.
And, secondly, my Invention consists of improvements in the manu-
facture of artificial teeth and gums by employing the process of electro-
type in coating soft substances.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to explain the means pursued
by me.
It is usual in making artificial teeth to obtain a cast, by means of
wax, of the mouth, in its imperfect state, shewing the parts to be made
up by artificial teeth and gums, and from such cast a plaster model is
obtained, and if there be any defect in the mouth, near the gums, then
such model represents such defects, as well as the loss of teeth. The
means of obtaining such plaster model being well understood, it will not
be necessary for me to enter into a description thereof.
Having got a model of the mouth in plaster, hardened in the usual
manner with resin, &c., I proceed to construct a metal frame, by pre-
ference of gold, either of wire or otherwise, the purport of which is to
give support to the pins for the artificial teeth, and to strengthen the
piece where it would otherwise be weak, if it be a case that requires
such strengthening, as in lower jaw cases, where the plate or bar has
hitherto passed behind the remaining teeth; and as this frame is not in

page_text: the finished case, either to touch the gum or remaining teeth, but to be
enclosed in the gutta percha, it is not necessary that it should fit the
model, but merely that it should be constructed to effect the purposes
above named. The teeth being prepared of the proper length and
colour, I solder pins to receive them in the above-mentioned frame in
theis proper places, in the same manner I should if placing them on a
gold plate of the usual make; but it is not necessary to fit them to the
frame, as the gutta percha forms sockets around and under them, which
receive them in like manner as teeth are naturally articulated in the
jaw.
. I then proceed to mould or form the gutta percha, which I prefer to
have as pure as I can purchase it; gutta percha, when heated, being, as
is well known, very plastic, and readily pressed into any form. First,
I entirely enclose the metal frame, as above described, in gutta percha,
except the pins; this is readily done with the fingers. Then I place it
on the plaster model, previously wet with cold water, in such a manner
as to bring the teeth, when placed on their respective pins, into their
proper place, to supply the deficiency. I then proceed to mould the
gutta percha into the proper form, to replace all the lost structures,
without altering the surface that touches the model; this I effect
either by again making it hot in water, or by the aid of heated instru-
ments, or by both, as the case may require, but for this part of my
Invention I can give no precise rule, as it must depend on the case;
and the gutta percha must, at the same time, if necessary, be carried
over other parts of the mouth not hitherto deficient, as has been the
custom with gold plate on other substances, either to equalise pressure
or gain support.
By this means the gutta percha will, with the new teeth, fit those
parts of the mouth where wanting; and in order to make up for any
imperfections in the plaster model, I warm the gutta percha of the
artificial teeth constructed as above explained, and place the same into
the mouth and press it into position, by which it will become perfectly
adapted to the mouth. I then remove the same from the mouth, and
take the teeth off the pins, by which the sockets in the gutta percha
will be left empty. I then coat over the pins with wax or other

page_text: matter, which will prevent deposit of gold in the process of electro-
gilding, which I now cause to be performed within the sockets, also
on outer and inner surfaces of the gutta percha, leaving the surface
thereof which comes next the gums so that a surface of gutta
percha will come next the gums. And such is the peculiar property
of this matter, that it may be made most accurately to fit the gums,
cavities, and imperfections of the mouth near the gums; and artificial
teeth thus made will not require any other mode of fixing when in the
mouth than what results from a good fit. I do not, however, say that
in no case other fastenings may not be required, but in all cases which
have come before me I have not found other fastenings necessary.
The electro-gilding will line the sockets for the teeth, and also the
external surfaces, such electro-gilding being performed, as is well
understood, by preparing the surfaces to be gilt in the ordinary
manner. The teeth are then to be fixed on to the pins and into the
sockets by cement, as heretofore when using gold plates; and any of
the various descriptions of teeth may be employed, to which, separately,
I make no claim. It is not essential to making artificial teeth and
gums, according to my Invention, that the gutta percha used should be
coated with gold. And I would state that, although I prefer to employ
gutta percha alone, I do not confine myself thereto, as coloring or other
matter may be used therewith.
In carrying out the second part of my Invention, in place of using
gutta percha and electro-gilding as above explained, I employ hard
wax or other matter which may be readily moulded or shaped in the
forms described in respect to gutta percha, and then by electro-gilding
the same all over I can obtain artificial teeth fitting with great accuracy;
and according to this plan the moulded or shaped matter may be such
as would be unsuited to be worn in the mouth if it were not for the
coating with gold, which will not only give strength, but also prevent
any moisture getting to the interior matter which constitutes the setting
of the teeth.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I would state in respect to the
first part of my Invention, that I am aware that gutta perchn has been

page_text: before employed for temporarily filling up a space in the mouth caused
by removing a tooth or teeth, and the same has been allowed to remain
till artificial teeth for fitting such spaces have been prepared; and fur-
ther, I have been informed that gutta percha has been used for making
good some defects in the mouth, but not in connection with artificial
teeth and gums, and I mention these particulars in order to state that
I make no claim to such use of gutta percha. But what I claim is,―
First, the manufacturing of artificial teeth and gums, and making
good other deficiencies of the mouth in connection therewith by em-
ploying gutta percha; and I also claim the coating the surfaces thereof
with metal.
And, secondly, I claim the application of electro-gilding in the
manufacture of artificial teeth and gums as a coating to soft materials,
as herein explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Thomas Truman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of February
One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
CDWI
KUMAN. (L.B.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifteenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Edwin Thomas Truman
came before our said Lady the Queen, in Her Chancery, and acknow-
ledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Specifica-
tion aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made
for that purpose.