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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



remaining teeth is much easier than otherwise. If they are out of 

 place., they must be brought back to where they belong, because it is 

 essential that they should be in their proper position and serve as the 

 guides for the regulation of all the other teeth. Then by measuring 

 the width of one of the eye teeth and the two front teeth next to it, 

 a diagram can be drawn which will show the exact shape and size which 

 the jaw should have. A very simple arrangement of springs and wires, 

 which need hardly annoy the child at all, will soon spread the jaws and 

 give the teeth room, so that those that are out of alignment can be 

 brought into their proper places in the arch. 



In this arch, like the arch of a bridge over a stream, every tooth 

 must bear its proper share of the pressure, and its loss can never be 

 replaced. A moment's reflection will show the folly of extracting teeth 

 to make room for those out of alignment, and modern dentistry has 



Before. 



After. 



proved that such extraction will defeat the object for which it is under- 

 taken, viz., the restoration of the perfect denture. A man who will 

 extract a tooth in regulating may be foolishly clinging to the old tradi- 

 tion, that was spoken of just now, that the unfortunate child had in- 

 herited large teeth from one parent, and small jaws from the other. 

 I remember, by the way, in my own boyhood, I seriously thought that 

 I had by mistake got somebody else's teeth, because my permanent 

 teeth were so large and broad, that my jaws could not accommodate 

 them, and were so crowded that several were extracted to make more 

 room. Now I know that my " hatchet face " and " lean jaws " might 

 easily have been prevented had some modern orthodontist, who would 

 die before he would extract a sound tooth, given me the proper advice 

 and care. 



