156 THE PATHOLOGY OF THE TEETH. 



length and obliquity of their roots and the fact of their 

 being situated in the weakest part of the jaw are con- 

 sidered, it is plain that such a procedure would in all 

 probability be followed by the most serious results, 

 such as fracture of the jaw, osteo- sarcoma, &c., the 

 former having happened under our own observation." 



The surgeons recommend (as any intelligent person 

 would) the removal of supernumerary or abnormal in- 

 cisor teeth. When the tooth is without the normal 

 range it interferes with the prehensile function of the 

 lips ; when within, it interferes with the tongue. The 

 former, they say, may either be cut off with the bone- 

 forceps or extracted. In the latter case, however, they 

 prefer to cut them off, but admit that some teeth re- 

 quire extraction, for which the use of the crank-forceps 

 is recommended. 



The Treatment of Caries is the next subject consid- 

 ered. " The only remedy for caries," the surgeons say, 

 "in the great majority of cases, is the extraction of the 

 tooth. If we were called on to treat the disease at its 

 beginning, cauterizing the black spot would check its 

 progress ; but when the dental bulb has been attacked, 

 the extraction of the tooth is the only remedy." 



The instrument recommended for extracting teeth 

 is the forceps, and under ordinary circumstances, the 

 surgeons say, fracture of the jaws ought not to occur. 

 They mention as useful instruments the key invented 

 by M. Garengeot, the mouth-screw by M. Plasse, and 

 the lever-forceps by Prof. Simonds, but say : 



" Instances occur in which the carious tooth cannot 

 be seized by any of these instruments. For example, 

 when the last upper grinder is diseased, it is sometimes 



