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52
Our ratio of fillings to extractions (permanent teeth) was 625
fillings to 100 extractions.
Conservative Treatment.—A considerable amount of use has
been made of Silver Nitrate treatment. This of course does not
consist of filling a tooth (which has to be explained to parents),
but treating a decaying temporary tooth in such a way as to
relieve pain, make the tooth able to function, arrest the progress
of caries, and save the tooth till the last moment possible; a
highly important matter in relation to the orthodontia of the
mouth. Generally speaking this treatment has been very successful
in the type of case to which it has been applied. Two hundred
and sixty-five such treatments were applied in 1931.
Extractions.—The number of teeth extracted was 4,444 (431
permanent—4,013 temporary), which again compares favourably
with the average for the country as given in the same report above
referred to. The average figure is 211 extractions per 100 children
treated; our figure was 174 extractions per 100 children treated,
again indicating the desire to save, rather than extract a tooth
which can be made useful.
The form of the Board's Table IV. showing dental defects
has been amplified (pages 58 and 59) in order to show items of
information which may help towards the proper comparison of the
dental statistics of different authorities. It would seem helpful
if such a form, amplified along these lines, could be generally
adopted. A better appreciation of their import might be conveyed
to the reader if opposite certain figures percentages could be shown
throughout the whole table, where possible and applicable.
The 1,206 "administrations of general anassthetics for extractions"
represents the number of times gas was given, and not
the number of sessions devoted to extractions under gas, which
was 91. In some districts very few extractions appear to be done
under a general anaesthetic. The number of children in respect
of whom these administrations were made was 1,094, as some
of them had to come in more than once for gas, where extractions
could not 'be completed at one sitting or was not considered
advisable.
ORTHODONTIC SCHEME.
The Orthodontic Scheme, fully described in last year's Report,
continues to function very successfully.
A further 110 cases came under treatment during the year
1931, making the total that have come under treatment since its
inception in May, 1930—253, a total of 18 months under review.