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THEARCHIVES OF
DENTISTRY
SUCCESSOR TO
Missouri Dental Journal, also Consolidated with New England Journalof Dentistry.
Vol. VII., No. 12.] DECEMBER, 1890. [New Series.
Original Articles.
No article will be published in this department that has been read beforeany society or has appeared in any publication.
The editor does not hold himself responsible, in any sense, for the viewsexpressed by the authors of original articles.
Any article intended for this department should be received by the firstof the month previous to its publication.—Ed.
SOME OF THE ABUSES OF CROWN AND
BRIDGE WORK.
BY WALTER M. BARTLETT, D.D.S., ST. LOUIS, MO.
There are many points in crown and bridge work requiringparticular attention which many operators seem entirely to overlookin the construction of this special class of work. It mightbe of interest to you to turn your attention in this direction.
In the first place, the use of crowns has been abused to a greatextent by the crowning of all class of roots, some of which areonly fit to be crowned by a good, strong pair of forceps. Theseroots may be divided into three classes: first, those that have[Pg 530]been in a diseased condition for years and have been a source ofconstant irritation to their owners; second, those that are onlyheld in by their gum attachments; third, those whose wallshave been fractured, said fracture only extending down as faras the process.
As the result of many inquiries in regard to the class first mentioned,I find that the majority of operators after spending weeksand even months in careful preparatory treatment, have metwith very little success in crowning such cases. They invariablycause some annoyance to the patient. In the majority ofcases the trouble is that of inflammation of the surrounding tissues,caused by the constant moving of the root during the processof mastication. After a root has been in a diseased conditionfor a year or more, it is questionable whether treatment,however carefully given, will place that root in a condition to becrowned and do the work of the original tooth.
The second class is beyond the bounds of practical dentistry,and no operator who has any regard for his reputation will attemptthis class of crown work, unless he has a mercenary objectin view.
All who have attempted the third class have made many failures.When there is a fracture extending from the centre ofthe root, running down to the process border in a slant, nocrown can with any satisfaction be properly adjusted, owing tothis movable portion of the