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President’s Address, Section VI*
Proceedings of the Seventh International Dental Congress human. There is no criterion by which, in border line cases, a pathologist may not make a mistake; in fact a pathologist’s report is his opinion o f the case as he sees it in the m icro scope, and opinions are not always 100 per cent accurate. T h e bacteriologist is more accurate than the pathologist because his tests have been developed to the point where it is not very difficult to check him up. When it comes to the roentgen ray, anything can be simulated by a clever manipulator, and since it is comparatively easy to manipulate the roentgen ray, it is just as easy fo r the inex perienced to make the grossest mistakes with the best intentions, and the patient occupies the position o f the famous “ ultimate con sumer.” Consequently, you cannot rely on any roentgen ray film unless you know posi tively that the proper angles were used and
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the proper exposure o f the plate and sub sequent development was made. Y ou w ill then find that the film, i f perfect, is onethird o f the diagnosis and that the other tjvo-thirds must be supplied by experience, intelligence and good judgment. This does not mean that the retention o f septic teeth should be countenanced. W e have reached an advanced stage in this w ork because, in this day o f mechanical perfection, we can turn from the empiric methods that must accom pany the age o f primary development, and we can now study the technical application o f restorative appliances in their true relation ship to the needs o f the patient, so that, with the application o f skill, knowledge and honesty o f purpose, the work o f this section could very properly be termed “ prosthetic therapeutics.”
PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS, SECTION VI* By CHARLES LANE, D.D.S., Detroit, Michigan
H E R E are many reasons w hy this Congress should be the most bene ficial m eeting that the dental pro fession o f the w o rld has ever had. It makes possible the association o f a ll men interested in fu ll denture w ork, which w e w ill concede to be the most beneficial experience that we m ight contemplate. T h ere is no doubt that associating and frate rn iz in g w ill result in greater developm ent, fro m both a research and a m anufacturing point o f view , than any other effort or combi nation o f efforts. I f w e should review the past years, w e m ight reasonably concede this to be true. It is evident that men w orking alone or com paratively so, make progress slo w ly, and probably find that others have preceded them in accomplishment.
T
*F u ll Denture Prosthesis.
Had these men associated w ith their fe llo w practitioners, much effo rt could have been expended in cooperation or in other directions, w ith much greater progress as a result. M an y o f us in the dental w orld feel that m arvelous progress has been made in research and m anufacturing, as ap plied particularly to fu ll denture con struction. W e do expect that m any w o n d erfu l, and possibly startling, developments w ill occur at this meeting, because o f the association o f the best minds in the pro fession fro m all over the w orld. W e who are intensely interested in this branch o f dentistry are constantly livin g and w orking in a mood o f ex pectancy, and unquestionably the appar ent impossibility w ill develop into a reality. T h ere is no question that the indi
64
The Journal o f the American Dental Association
vid ual’s progress and developm ent have been startling, more because o f the application o f the other m an’s ideas, teachings and influence, than because o f scientific developm ent fro m his own research and m anufacture. Unquestionably, this intensive study w ill result in am azing development, but at present we should conclude that we are but pioneering. I t is becoming more evident as time goes on that, in order to progress, we must frate rn iz e , and be forced by as sociation to absorb. A l l o f the men o f this country are delighted to express to the men from other countries their great pleasure at this time, and it is a pleasant duty that as President o f Section V I, I have to p erfo rm today, in assuming the respon sibility o f tellin g you how much we wish you, fro m a ll over the w o rld , to fe e l entirely at home w ith us, and we hope that our hospitable feelings and actions w ill be so apparent to you that it w ill just be routine. W e hope that you w ill be repaid fo r your sacri fices, o f which we are aw are, in coming to this congress. W h e n constructing the program , your committee was w h o lly conscious o f the fa c t that many o f the good things available pertaining to this sub ject could not be included, and w e be lieve that w e could have a program so extensive on fu ll denture detail that the mass o f m aterial w ould surprise the most optimistic. T h e subject o f fu ll denture today must include m any lines o f study as compared w ith the apparent necessities o f a fe w years ago. Some o f our men have spent years in developing and re
developing, in constructing and recon structing, and still seem fa r fro m a product which they wish to call finished or perfect. A pparently, this condition is to continue w ith a rew ard o f degrees o f success sufficient to keep them fo r ever w orking and striving fo r the health and happiness o f mankind. W e a ll owe these men much, so much that we cannot pay but w e can recognize, we can encourage and w e can help. It is every m an’s duty fo r the health o f the w orld and fo r the standing o f den tistry in the realm o f professions to do everlastingly all that he can and even try to exceed this. W e develop in waves, in cycles and almost it seems in spasms. Not so long ago, nearly all prosthetists thought that, in order to be a success, he must produce an approxim ately p erfect impression o f a m axilla or mandible and his troubles w ere over. T h en , fo r a w h ile, nearly everyone thought that i f he purchased an articulator o f the best type, his troubles w ould be fe w . These im pulses and others o f like type have impressed us a ll so fo rcib ly that now essayists seldom report a panacea fo r all our troubles. R eferences are more o ften made to the fa c t that the only royal road is one o f a laborious type, w ith undivided attention to detail. O u r failu res in practice are o f sufficient numbers to make us constantly aw are o f our lack o f knowledge in mastering and controlling the human mechanism. O u r progress is due to our mistakes and so w e have no real reason fo r fe e l ing disheartened, but can rem em ber that “ necessity is the m other o f invention” and that w e are on our w ay to new er and better things.
63
the proper exposure o f the plate and sub sequent development was made. Y ou w ill then find that the film, i f perfect, is onethird o f the diagnosis and that the other tjvo-thirds must be supplied by experience, intelligence and good judgment. This does not mean that the retention o f septic teeth should be countenanced. W e have reached an advanced stage in this w ork because, in this day o f mechanical perfection, we can turn from the empiric methods that must accom pany the age o f primary development, and we can now study the technical application o f restorative appliances in their true relation ship to the needs o f the patient, so that, with the application o f skill, knowledge and honesty o f purpose, the work o f this section could very properly be termed “ prosthetic therapeutics.”
PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS, SECTION VI* By CHARLES LANE, D.D.S., Detroit, Michigan
H E R E are many reasons w hy this Congress should be the most bene ficial m eeting that the dental pro fession o f the w o rld has ever had. It makes possible the association o f a ll men interested in fu ll denture w ork, which w e w ill concede to be the most beneficial experience that we m ight contemplate. T h ere is no doubt that associating and frate rn iz in g w ill result in greater developm ent, fro m both a research and a m anufacturing point o f view , than any other effort or combi nation o f efforts. I f w e should review the past years, w e m ight reasonably concede this to be true. It is evident that men w orking alone or com paratively so, make progress slo w ly, and probably find that others have preceded them in accomplishment.
T
*F u ll Denture Prosthesis.
Had these men associated w ith their fe llo w practitioners, much effo rt could have been expended in cooperation or in other directions, w ith much greater progress as a result. M an y o f us in the dental w orld feel that m arvelous progress has been made in research and m anufacturing, as ap plied particularly to fu ll denture con struction. W e do expect that m any w o n d erfu l, and possibly startling, developments w ill occur at this meeting, because o f the association o f the best minds in the pro fession fro m all over the w orld. W e who are intensely interested in this branch o f dentistry are constantly livin g and w orking in a mood o f ex pectancy, and unquestionably the appar ent impossibility w ill develop into a reality. T h ere is no question that the indi
64
The Journal o f the American Dental Association
vid ual’s progress and developm ent have been startling, more because o f the application o f the other m an’s ideas, teachings and influence, than because o f scientific developm ent fro m his own research and m anufacture. Unquestionably, this intensive study w ill result in am azing development, but at present we should conclude that we are but pioneering. I t is becoming more evident as time goes on that, in order to progress, we must frate rn iz e , and be forced by as sociation to absorb. A l l o f the men o f this country are delighted to express to the men from other countries their great pleasure at this time, and it is a pleasant duty that as President o f Section V I, I have to p erfo rm today, in assuming the respon sibility o f tellin g you how much we wish you, fro m a ll over the w o rld , to fe e l entirely at home w ith us, and we hope that our hospitable feelings and actions w ill be so apparent to you that it w ill just be routine. W e hope that you w ill be repaid fo r your sacri fices, o f which we are aw are, in coming to this congress. W h e n constructing the program , your committee was w h o lly conscious o f the fa c t that many o f the good things available pertaining to this sub ject could not be included, and w e be lieve that w e could have a program so extensive on fu ll denture detail that the mass o f m aterial w ould surprise the most optimistic. T h e subject o f fu ll denture today must include m any lines o f study as compared w ith the apparent necessities o f a fe w years ago. Some o f our men have spent years in developing and re
developing, in constructing and recon structing, and still seem fa r fro m a product which they wish to call finished or perfect. A pparently, this condition is to continue w ith a rew ard o f degrees o f success sufficient to keep them fo r ever w orking and striving fo r the health and happiness o f mankind. W e a ll owe these men much, so much that we cannot pay but w e can recognize, we can encourage and w e can help. It is every m an’s duty fo r the health o f the w orld and fo r the standing o f den tistry in the realm o f professions to do everlastingly all that he can and even try to exceed this. W e develop in waves, in cycles and almost it seems in spasms. Not so long ago, nearly all prosthetists thought that, in order to be a success, he must produce an approxim ately p erfect impression o f a m axilla or mandible and his troubles w ere over. T h en , fo r a w h ile, nearly everyone thought that i f he purchased an articulator o f the best type, his troubles w ould be fe w . These im pulses and others o f like type have impressed us a ll so fo rcib ly that now essayists seldom report a panacea fo r all our troubles. R eferences are more o ften made to the fa c t that the only royal road is one o f a laborious type, w ith undivided attention to detail. O u r failu res in practice are o f sufficient numbers to make us constantly aw are o f our lack o f knowledge in mastering and controlling the human mechanism. O u r progress is due to our mistakes and so w e have no real reason fo r fe e l ing disheartened, but can rem em ber that “ necessity is the m other o f invention” and that w e are on our w ay to new er and better things.