VETERINARY DENTAL SURGERT. 233 



cup which recedes on pressure so that the point 

 forces the amalgam into the cavity. No. 2, Dr. W. 

 S. Elliott's, and No. 3, Dr. W. B. Miller's are opera- 

 ted in the same manner. 



Fig. 60 represents a set of corundum points, 

 cones and disks for finishing and polishing fillings; 

 these are on short stocks to be used with the engine. 

 The same forms are made of Arkansas, Scotch and 

 Hindostan stone. 



MATERIALS FOR FILLING. 



Of the materials used in filling teeth, I will only 

 describe those that I think best adapted to our pur- 

 pose. 



Amalgam. This is rather a broad term applied 

 to all the preparations formed by combining mercury 

 with various other metals. Those most commonly 

 used are silver and tin, but occasionally gold, zinc, 

 lead, platinum and cadmiun. 



"The kind most in use is prepared by melting 

 together and carefully mixing pure tin and silver, 

 and filing this when cooled, into dust, combining 

 the latter with mercury in sufficient proportion to 

 give the requisite plasticity, and then thoroughly 

 washing the whole in alcohol or boiling water 

 to remove the oxides formed during the combina- 

 tion of the metals" (Taft.) I like this the best for 

 filling the teeth of animals as it is easily and quickly 

 introduced and is the most durable. 



