Practical Hints. [Volume: 2, Issue: 1, August, 1860, pp. 1-3]

2

THE DENTAL COSMOS.

he believed that he had discovered the cause of the trouble; upon running his finger around the gum he found that it gave way or felt soft on
the palatine side; we passed our probe between the gum and the tooth,
and found that it entered a large cavity corresponding to the neck of the
tooth on the palatine root. It was a large tooth, and the crown perfectly sound. We packed cotton between the crown of the tooth and the
gum, which filled up this cavity; this was renewed daily, for three days,
when we found that the cavity was fresh and white, and the surface free
from decay. It was a case of absorption of the tooth substance; the
pulp was exposed, we destroyed it with the arsenical paste; the palatine
root was not entirely cut away by the absorption, and in due time we
plugged the cavity, and the tooth is in a good condition up to the present
time.
3d Case.-A gentleman called, aged thirty, six years ago, complaining
of severe pain along the right superior maxillary. The pain was not confined to any one tooth more than another; there was considerable soreness upon pressure along the gums, on the palatine as well as the buccal
side. This patient was in fine health, and a strong and well-balanced
temperament. Upon careful examination we could pass a probe between
the crown of the first molar and the gum from the palatine side quite half
way through the tooth; we at once discovered it to be a case of absorption of the dentine; the crown of the tooth was sound; we wedged the
gum away, as described in the second case, destroyed the pulp which had
been laid bare, and as the palatine root was entirely detached from the
crown we extracted it; the fungus which filled the cavity was cut away,
a portion of it having been deadened by the arsenical paste used in destroying the vitality of the pulp; the buccal roots were filled as far as
practicable, as well as the nerve cavity of the crown; the parts healed
up kindly, and the case remains up to this time in a healthy condition,
and the tooth useful. The patient says it is as good as any other tooth.
A number of cases have occurred to us where the palatine roots of the
superior molars have become exposed to their apices by absorption of the
gums, and we have amputated them, and plugged the nerve chambers,
and the cases remain comfortable and useful. In some cases where partial recession of the gums has taken place, and decay has detached the
palatine roots, we have extracted the apex of the roots, plugged the
nerve cavities, and rendered the cases useful. In one instance, a gentleman split off about one-fourth of the crown of a right superior molar,
which was a dead tooth; the fracture extended down between the palatine and buccal roots; we extracted the palatine root, plugged the nerve
cavity, and the buccal fragment remains healthy and useful. We are not
aware that this practice has been pursued by others.
Case 4th.-A lady, aged over fifty, called, complaining of pain in the
left superior jaw; nervous temperament; periosteal irritability is a