Case From My Note-Book. [Volume: 2, Issue: 7, February, 1861, pp. 363-365]

CASE FROM MY NOTE-BOOK.

363

P. S.-Since writing the preceding, our attention has been called to an
excellent article in the department of Dental Literature and Art of the
DENTAL COSMOS, on Pivot Teeth, by James Taylor, Cincinnati. We are
glad to see that we have been anticipated in our remarks. When we commenced our article, it was to defend the operation, as well as to tell how it
ought to be performed, as far as our experience had taught, and we are
thankful for the help which has been afforded us.
CASE FROM MY NOTE-BOOK.
BY H. N. WADSWORTH, D D.S.
EARLY in the month of December, 1859, Mrs. S. applied to me for
professional advice regarding the second left inferior molar. My patient
was a fine, intelligent lady, of about thirty-three years of age, and nervobilious temperament.
Upon examination I found the pulp so badly exposed as to require destruction, which was done carefully and gradually; and at the termination
of the month it had been thoroughly removed and the tooth filled. At
this time I made an examination of all of her teeth; but matters of more
moment appearing to absorb her time, the winter passed without any
further visit from her.
In July of the present year she again called, and desired me to examine
the second right inferior bicuspid; and after thoroughly doing so, I came
to the conclusion that the pulp was nearly, but not perfectly exposed, and
that a careful removal of all the superficial decomposed bone and as careful an introduction of a temporary stopping for the protection of the
remainder over the pulp, would probably result in an eventual deposit and
hardening of what remained, sufficient to enable me at some future day to
refill with gold; for nature, true to herself, only wants a little assistance,
and in every, or nearly every case, she will reproduce, or if she does not
reproduce, she will throw out a mantle or shield over the delicatelyorganized, sensitive, and shrinking pulp, that will be an effectual and perfect guard against the irritating, conducting power of metals, or the
firm, consolidating power of the human arm in condensing them. Since
the able and exceedingly interesting article, written some years ago by
that great and good man, now no more, and who was among the first to
direct attention to the subject of filling teeth temporarily, to give nature
an opportunity to restore herself, (instead of destroying,) unless the pulp
was absolutely exposed beyond a shadow of a doubt, and suppurating,
since that article was written by Professor Chapin A Harris, it has been
a constant study in my practice to profit by, to prove, and improve upon
it, until it would be easy to count the cases by hundreds that would otherwise have been treated for "exposed pulps" and all the attendant evils.