68 THE EE-UNION OF TEETH 



pleted, nor can the alveolar periosteum unite with 

 that part of the tooth : irritation and suppuration 

 are the necessary consequence. As an illustra- 

 tion of these remarks, I would refer you to a case 

 which Dr. Cushman describes in the American 

 Journal of Dental Science , vol. xiii. p. 228. 



The probability of success is of course greatest 

 when the tooth is replaced immediately after 

 its removal. Some years since, I was removing 

 a lower wisdom tooth, the crown of which leaned 

 forward, and dipped down against the neck of 

 the second molar. Thinking that it was possible 

 to remove the offending tooth without disturbing 

 the second molar, I attempted to do so ; but as 

 soon as the one yielded, the other was raised 

 from its socket : I put my finger upon the second 

 molar, so as to prevent its entire displacement, 

 and immediately the wisdom tooth was out, re- 

 turned it to its place, telling the lady to close her 

 teeth firmly. After a few minutes she felt no pain 

 about the replaced tooth, and she told me a year 

 afterwards, when I saw her, that she had expe- 

 rienced no inconvenience whatever from it. 



Dr. Cushman gives a similar case, to which I 

 would refer you, as it encourages us to hope for 

 the re-union of any tooth that may have been 

 accidentally displaced (vol. xiii. p. 597). 



If half the stories that our patients tell us of 

 such accidents be true, there must be many 

 opportunities for such experiments. 



