FOUR PERMANENT FIRST MOLARS. 51 



An interesting table, given by Mr. Tomes, exhi- 

 biting the relative durability of teeth, confirms this. 

 From this table it appears, that of three thousand 

 teeth removed from various causes, eleven hundred 

 and twenty-four, or upwards of one-third, were first 

 molars, and of these a large number were extracted 

 under the age of fifteen. 



This table further shows that the removal of 

 these teeth for the correction of irregularities is a 

 practice by no means generally adopted ; for of all 

 the eleven hundred and twenty-four cases recorded 

 by Mr. Tomes, it would appear that in one case 

 only was the operation performed with this object. 



I now proceed to consider more particularly the ad- 

 vantages connected with the practice lam advocating, 

 and also the objections which may be urged against 

 it. The advantages I conceive to be as follow : — 



(1.) The prevention and correction of the simpler 

 forms of irregularities in the easiest and most 

 desirable way, in a great majority of cases, without 

 the aid of mechanical means ; in all, in such a man- 

 ner as least to disfigure the appearance of the mouth. 



(2.) The promotion of a healthier state among the 

 remaining teeth, and an increase in the facility of 

 treating caries when it presents itself. 



(3.) The prevention of the distressing, and in some 

 cases even very serious symptoms, which frequently 

 accompany the development of the wisdom-teeth 

 in over-crowded arches, and a material diminution in 

 the chance of the formation of sinuses in after-life, 



e2 



