OPERATIONS ON THE TEETH. 



355 



yond those of ordinary cleanliness and proper attention to the 

 granulating process. It is the cicatrization of the internal wound 

 which requii-es attention, and in some cases a great deal of it. 

 This is in order to guard against the collecting and the packing of 

 the food in the cavity of the alveola, and thus interfering with its 

 closing up by proper granulations. The diet of animals thus 

 operated on must, of course, consist almost entii'ely of liquid food, 

 as mashes of bran or of oatmeal; hay teas, flour water, milk, etc., 

 or of cooked roots, scalded grains and the like. According to 

 some authors, fibrinous food is dangerous only during the early 

 days immediately following the operation, but our experience has 

 taught us that neither solid nor semi-solid food is to be allowed 

 to an animal which has lost a molar tooth, for a period of from 

 three to four weeks, and during that time the alveolar cavity ought 

 to be thoroughly cleansed out after every meal, until all possibility 

 of danger has subsided. 



The vacuum left in the dental arch after the removal of a tooth 

 is never entirely filled up, but it gradually diminishes, in conse- 

 quence of the oblique direction which the teeth in front and behind 

 ai'e disposed to assume, and which, though it brings them closer 

 to each other, never brings them into actual contact. It may hap- 

 pen that by reason of this vacant space the tooth on the opposite 

 side of the jaw may acquire a tendency to grow to excess, and from 

 want of wear, ultimately project above the level of the other teeth. 

 In reference to this it wiU be but prudent to watch the condition 

 of that particular tooth, and to be prejDared to reduce it to its 

 proper level, if that should become necessary. 



In reference to accidents that may occur during operations 

 upon the teeth, we have already mentioned the possibihty of deg- 

 lutition of the tooth as it is drawn from its socket. In some cases 

 reported by Eenault and Bouley fatal results have followed, caused 

 by violent coUcs thus induced. Strong cathartics have been rec- 

 ommended in these cases for the removal of the foreign body, but 

 the precaution which we have already mentioned will eflfectuaUy 

 prevent the possibihty of this accident. Bruises and excoriations 

 of the bars, with the speculum, and hemorrhage, are accidents 

 which also sometimes accompany these operations of extraction. 

 The first is not usually a matter of any importance, unless necro- 

 sis of the jaw should follow ; and as for the hemorrhage, unless it 

 results from du'ect injury to the palatine artery, it is easily con- 



