Scientific American, Vol. XXXIX.No. 6. [New Series.], August 10, 1878Various
Science
Scientific American, Vol. XXXIX.No. 6. [New Series.], August 10, 1878
Various
Science -- Periodicals; Technology -- Periodicals
He makes it a point to examine the end of the roots of nearly all his
cases of abscessed teeth; and a record of more than 150 cases, with but
one loss (and that in the mouth of a man so timid that he utterly
refused to bear the pain which nearly always follows for a few minutes,
therefore necessitating re-extraction), convinces him that the operation
is not only practical, but decidedly beneficial to both patient and
operator. For one sitting is all that he has ever really found necessary
to the full and complete restoration of the case.
In the present article, however, Dr. Thomas states that it is his object
not so much to speak of replanting as of transplanting, which he has
reason to believe is just as practical, so far as the mere re-attachment
is concerned, as is replanting. He details, in illustration, a case in
which he successfully performed the operation; inserting in the mouth of
a gentleman, who had lost a right superior cuspidate, a solid and
healthy tooth that he had removed from a lady's mouth four weeks
previously. He opened into canal and pulp chamber of the tooth, from the
apex of the root only; cut the end off one eighth of an inch (it being
that much too long), reduced the size somewhat in the center of the root
(it being a trifle larger than the root extracted), filled and placed it
in position. He states that the occlusion, shape, and color were
perfect, so much so that several dentists who saw the case were not able
to distinguish the transplanted tooth from the others. The two features
in the case that he calls particular attention to are: first, that
although the tooth had been in his office four weeks, there is to-day no
perceptible change in color; and second, that the re-attachment is as
perfect as though it had been transplanted or replanted the same day of
extraction. The operation was performed about three months ago. Dr.
Thomas knows of but two obstacles in the way of the perfect
practicability of "transplanting:" first, the difficulty of obtaining
the proper teeth at the proper time; and second, the possibility of
inoculation. The latter is the more formidable of the two, and, to
escape the ills that might follow, the greatest caution is necessary.
The first difficulty is more easily gotten over, for it is not necessary
that the tooth transplanted should correspond exactly in shape and size
to the one extracted; if it is too large, it may be carefully reduced;
or if too small, new osseous deposit will supply the deficiency. Neither
is it necessary, as we have seen, that the transplanted tooth should be
a freshly extracted one.
As a demonstration of what modern dental surgery is capable of
performing Dr. Thomas' statements are very interesting; it is doubtful,
however, whether popular prejudice will allow this practice of
"transplanting" to become of much use.
* * * * *
=American Institute Exhibition.=
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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