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23
Dental Defects.—The report of Mr. C. Colenso, the Senior
Dental Surgeon, is as follows :—
All the schools, both Primary and Secondary, were visited by
the Dentists during the year for the annual inspection of the teeth.
In the case of new entrants there is a second visit made after the
return to school from the summer holidays, to inspect and select
for treatment those children in need of attention. The figures
given for children needing treatment is mainly work to be done on
the permanent series of teeth, and it is therefore not a true figure
for the full number of children who do need some form of treatment,
which may be of a minor degree of decay in the temporary dentition.
The urgency of the work and the number of children in need of
attention to the second dentition is so great, that the efforts of
the dentist is mostly taken up with treatment of the permanent
series.
The number of children of all ages now requiring Orthodontic
treatment is increasing, and the service of a specialist in this form
of treatment is necessary. The number of children who are at
present receiving treatment has increased to a great extent over
other years. The time that has to be given to these cases interferes
in no small measure with the progress and number of children in
need of conservative treatment of the permanent and temporary
teeth. It is estimated that five per cent. of the school children
in Ealing require Orthodontic treatment of a minor or major
degree. This figure is also the same for the rest of England and
Wales.
The work was carried out at the five Health Centres by the
services of three full time dentists. The third dentist did not
commence her duties until the beginning of March. It was possible
to complete the treatment of the remaining number of evacuees,
who were delayed in their return to the Borough ; therefore it is
satisfactory to know that the dental scheme is returning to normal,
and the figures which follow will be proof of this statement. The
number of children inspected by the dentists amounted to 19,823
and the number found to require treatment totalled 8,905. The
number actually treated amounted to 5,920. The number of
casuals or specials inspected and treated totalled 422. This figure
is included in the number actually treated.
The various forms of treatment carried out were as follows :
The number of permanent teeth filled totalled 5,024. The total
number of fillings inserted in the permanent teeth amounted to 5,411.
The two main types of fillings used in restoring permanent
teeth are Silver Amalgam and Porcelain. The base of the cavity
is lined with Oxyphosphate Cement and Zinc Oxide.