FOR REDUCING IRREGULARITY. 219 



across the palate. On the buccal sides of the caps 

 is attached a strong elastic band, which passed in 

 front of the central incisors, and was attended with 

 complete success in the case in which it was 

 used. * 



I have now the pleasure of endeavouring to 

 explain to you what I consider the greatest ad- 

 vance we have yet made in moving misplaced teeth, 

 and it is to Mr. Harrison we are indebted for 

 this result of skill and ingenuity. By using, in 

 his peculiar way, compressed wood, he has 

 obtained success in some of the most difficult 

 cases, very simply and effectually. 



The manner in which compressed wood has 

 mostly been used, has been by first drawing a 

 round stick of wood (generally hiccory) through 

 the holes of a draw-plate. By this process the 

 fibre of the wood is pressed together, and if not 

 very dry, elongated as much as possible. This is 

 mostly used by drilling a hole in the bone-piece, 

 and inserting a piece of the wood endways. Very 

 little elongation takes place on the wood absorbing 

 moisture; but there is a considerable effort to 

 expand laterally, as you may frequently have found 

 on endeavouring to take out one of these pegs 

 after it has been in the bone and subjected to 

 moisture for a very short time. 



* The band is occasionally made to press against the lingual sides 

 of the molars and bicuspids, for the purpose of expanding the arch of 

 the mouth, and which I have used most successfully in some of the 

 most difTicult cases. 



