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Dr. Fred S. Meyer, a pioneer in prosthodontics
PIONEERS
IN
DR. FRED
S. MEYER,
KENNETH Pilford Lackland
D. RUDD, Hall
USAF
PROSTHODONTZCS
A PIONEER
IN PROSTHODONTICS
COLONEL
USAF(DC)*
Hospital,
Aerospace
Medical
Division
(AFSC),
Air Force Base, Texas
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS that Dr. Fred S. Meyer has made to dentistry is an impossible task. It would require at least an entire volume devoted to his works to do justice to the assignment in a reasonable amount of space ; the most that can be accomplished is to refer to only his most outstanding achievements. Detailed accounts of the various phases of his work can be obtained from the referenced publications.1-22 Dr. Fred S. Meyer celebrated his ninetieth birthday with a train ride to his home in Minneapolis, from Chicago, where he had spent several days attending the IOlst Annual Midwinter Meeting of the Chicago Dental Society. After practicing dentistry for more than 60 years, he is still very much interested in his chosen profession and concerned about improving the standards of dental practice. Dr. Meyer was born in Norway in 1876 and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1883. He graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Dentistry in 190.2 after completing the three year course, which satisfied the requirements of that time. A two year “scientific course” at the University of Minnesota (18971899) gave him a knowledge of engineering that he used to great advantage in dentistry. He read his first paper, a refutation of Bonwill’s theory, at the commencement exercises from dental school. Ever since the publication of his first article “Shrinkage in Cast Gold Inlays” in 1912, he has been the champion of good dentistry and improved techniques. He has written many papers on complete dentures, removable partial dentures, fixed partial dentures, articulators, manipulation of wax, and soldering. 1-22He has given clinical demonstrations, courses, and individual lectures in 40 of the 50 states and in Canada. During his life many people have been near and dear to him, but two deserve special mention, Maria L. Sanford and William L. Shearer. Miss Sanford taught him English composition and rhetoric. She has been honored by having her statue displayed in the corridor leading to the Senate Wing of the Capitol Building, Washington, D. C. William L. Shearer, D.D.S., M.D., is an oral surgeon whom he met in Seattle, Washington, in 1928 when they were both on the same program. They became close friends, worked together, and developed a mutual respect for each other. Dr. Shearer was the originator of the alveolectomy.
T
0 DISCUSS THE MANY
*Chairman, Department of Prosthodontics. 1165
J. Pros. Den. November-December, 1966
RUDD
Frederick
S. Meyer,
D.D.S.
Dr. Meyer believes that dental programs should consist of practical demonstrations using patients and presenting the entire procedure, even to inserting the restoration. He does not have confidence in the clinician who declaims on good restorative dentistry but does not produce it before others. He demonstrated this belief at the American Dental Association meeting in Buffalo in 1932, when he cast an MOD inlay, a full crown, three five-tooth fixed partial dentures, and one fourteen-tooth fixed partial denture with four abutments. The amazing aspect of this feat is that all of the restorations were made by the indirect technique on amalgam dies seated in stone casts and none required adjusting or fitting at the
Volume Nunher
16 6
DR.
FRED
S.
1167
MEYER
time of insertion.6J6 This is not fantasy, for all of the dentists present at this meeting witnessed his work. He used procedures dependent upon the generated path technique, which he developed in 1930. It may be of interest to note that many clinicians use the principles of the generated path technique originated by Dr. Meyer 36 years ago. If these clinicians were well enough informed or sufficiently honest to give credit where credit is due, this contribution would be even better known. The continued repetition of clinics developed and demonstrated by Dr. Meyer is a tribute to his thinking, for it indicates that the principles upon which he based his techniques are as sound today as they were 30 years ago. THE
GENERATED
PATH
TECHNIQUE
The generated path technique was so successful with fixed partial dentures that he adapted it to complete dentures and all forms of reconstruction dentistry.* He made enough refinements in his generated path technique that he was able to make interchangeable duplicate and triplicate dentures. This contribution has been a boon to many patients and especially to those whose jobs require them to be before the public constantly. The patient with interchangeable duplicate dentures is fortunate, because if an accident occurs to one denture he has an immediate replacement on hand. Either maxillary denture may be worn with either mandibular denture, and the occlusion is perfect. Dr. Meyer made his first interchangeable duplicate dentures in 1947. Dr. Meyer, in 1948, made an excellent film*lg in sound and color, that shows in minute detail how he makes three sets of dentures for one patient. He was 72 years old at the time he made the film, a work that would have taxed the energies of a 30-year-old man working at the same pace. In the late 1940’s he used his generated path technique in the building of “full upper or lower artificial dentures to opposing natural teeth.“lT At the age of 75, he read a paper before the Minnesota State Dental Association in Minneapolis. During the associated clinic, he made a complete maxillary denture against lower natural teeth. A committee consisting of Dr. Milton G. Walls, Dr. Elmer ii. Sundby, and Dr. William H. Crawford, Dean of the School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, was appointed to examine the denture and render an unbiased report based on their observations. The denture was inserted by Dr. Walls, and the committee was unanimous in stating that it was one of the most outstanding demonstrations that they had ever witnessed. His results WeYe outstanding.17 The introduction of c~qx and sulci analysis and of three types of stressbreakers dates back to the work of Dr. Meyer in 1935. One of the stressbreakers had been used previously only in a modified form, whereas the other two types never had been used. Dr. Meyer is a staunch advocate of the use of the face-bow and thinks that it is the most “indispensable gadget” in prosthetic dentistry. He uses it routinely for fixed restorations as well as for complete dentures. At one time, he felt obligated to state that he was going to fight for the use of the face-bow, even if he had to stand alone.i7 *“Interchangeable
Duplicate
and
Triplicate
Dentures”
available
from
the
A.D.A.
film
library.
1168
RUDD
November-Dek:E,
ii%
ARTICULATORS
One of his “pet peeves” is the so-called anatomic articulators.13J7JS He says that in prosthetic dentistry we have had many drawbacks in checking our results accurately and have been led or misled in placing too much value on the so-called anatomic articulators. These instruments do not function in the same manner as the mouth.17 PUBLICATIONS
Among his publications was an article that everyone should read, “Some Sources of Error and Their Correction in the Making of Cast Gold Inlays,“5 published in 1929 with a discussion by Dr. Stanley D. Tylman. According to Dr. Tylman, the article explained some of the most frequent mishaps that occur when making small castings. Dr. Tylman taught his students Dr. Meyer’s method, and recorded errors of less than 1 per cent in 1,000 castings. Another classic was Dr. Meyer’s article on manipulation of wax. lo Anyone who has had difficulty in waxing crowns and inlays would do well to study and use the suggestions that he offered 3O.years ago. SOLDERING
TECHNIQUE
His major contribution and latest publication is “The Elimination of Distortion During Soldering.“22 Although it was not published until 1959, he developed the technique more than 30 years ago, and has used it successfully ever since. For years everyone tried to prevent shrinkage of the solder from distorting the bridges and failed. He not only proved conclusively that it was not the solder that caused the distortion but showed how to prevent distortions during soldering. For years to come, Dr. Meyer will be recognized for the generated path technique, the interchangeable duplicate denture technique, and the soldering technique. These three procedures have been responsible for the high degree of accuracy attained in reconstruction dentistry. A hearty and appreciative salute to a great prosthodontist, Dr. Fred S. Meyer, who has made so many outstanding contributions to dentistry ! REFERENCES
1. Meyer, F. S. : Shrinkage in Cast GoIld Inlays, D. Cosmos 54:758-764, 1912. 2. Meyer, F. S.: Explanation of am 1 Partial Remedies of Some of Our Failures on Cast Gold Inlays, D. Cosmos 68:s 25-537, 1926. 3. Meyer, F. S., and Maves, H. A.: Appendix to “Methods for Controlling Variables in the Casting Process,’ ” D. Res. J. 8:163-169, 1928. 4. Meyer, F. S., and Ma1res., H. A.: The Control of Variables in the Casting Process, Iowa D. Bull. 14:18-32, 1928. ources of Error 5. Meyer, F. S.: Some S--.---_ _~~~ and Their Correction in the Making of Cast Gold Inlays, J.A.D.A. 16:812-820, 1929. 6. Meyer, F. S. : Cast Bridgework in Functic ma1 Occlusion, J.A.D.A. 20:1015-1030, 1933. 7. Meyer, F. S.: A New, Simple and Accl urate Technic for Obtaining Balanced and Functional Occlusion, J.A.D.A. 21:195-: !03, 1934. 8. Meyer, F. S.: Balanced and Functional (3cclusion in Relation to Denture Work, J.A.D.A. 22:1156-1164, 1935. 9. Meyer, F. S.: Something New in Cusps and Sulc i Analysis, Balanced and Functional Occlusion and Stress-Breakers, J.A.D.A. 23:121 04-1212, 1936. 10. MeyerigT7S. : Mampulatron of Wax: Its Relation tc ) the Casting, J.A.D.A. 24:1655-1662,
DR.
2
FRED
S. MEYER
Meyer, F. S. : Partial Dentures, Australian D. J. 9:44-50, 1937. Meyer, F. S.: Can the Plane Line Articulator Meet All the Demands of Balanced and y;;;tional Occlusion in All Restorative Work? Colorado State D. A. J. 17:6-l6,
Meyer, F. S. : Balance and Functional Occlusion, Minneapolis Dist. D. J. 31:3-1.5, 1947. Meyer, F. S. : Balanced Occlusion in Full Dentures, Fortnightly Rev. 15:12-13, 1948. Meyer, F. S.: Why the Necessity for Accurate Balanced and Functional Occlusion? Fortnightly Rev. 16:7-g, 1948. 16.Meyerig:i S.: About Our Clinicians (Biographical Sketch), Bull. Alabama D. A. 35::7,
ii:
17. Meyer, F. ‘S. : Building Full Upper or Lower Artificial Dentures to Opposing Natural Teeth, Northwest Dent. 30:112-115, 1951. Meyer, F. S.: Dentures-Causes of Failures and Remedies, J. PROS. DENT. 1:672-691, 1951. 2 Meyer, F. S. : Interchangeable Duplicate and Triplicate Dentures (Film Review), J.A.D..4. 45 :339, 1952. 20. Meyer, F. S.: The Generated Path Technique in Reconstruction Dentistry. Part I. Complete Dentures, J. PROS. DENT. 9:354-366, 1959. 21. Meyer, F. S.: The Generated Path Technique in Reconstruction Dentistry. Part II. Fixled Partial Dentures, J. PROS. DENT. 9:432-440, 1959. 22. Meyer, F. S.: The Elimination of Distortion During Soldering, J. PROS. DENT. 9:441-447, 1959. 742 CLEARVIEW DRIVE SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78228
IN
DR. FRED
S. MEYER,
KENNETH Pilford Lackland
D. RUDD, Hall
USAF
PROSTHODONTZCS
A PIONEER
IN PROSTHODONTICS
COLONEL
USAF(DC)*
Hospital,
Aerospace
Medical
Division
(AFSC),
Air Force Base, Texas
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS that Dr. Fred S. Meyer has made to dentistry is an impossible task. It would require at least an entire volume devoted to his works to do justice to the assignment in a reasonable amount of space ; the most that can be accomplished is to refer to only his most outstanding achievements. Detailed accounts of the various phases of his work can be obtained from the referenced publications.1-22 Dr. Fred S. Meyer celebrated his ninetieth birthday with a train ride to his home in Minneapolis, from Chicago, where he had spent several days attending the IOlst Annual Midwinter Meeting of the Chicago Dental Society. After practicing dentistry for more than 60 years, he is still very much interested in his chosen profession and concerned about improving the standards of dental practice. Dr. Meyer was born in Norway in 1876 and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1883. He graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Dentistry in 190.2 after completing the three year course, which satisfied the requirements of that time. A two year “scientific course” at the University of Minnesota (18971899) gave him a knowledge of engineering that he used to great advantage in dentistry. He read his first paper, a refutation of Bonwill’s theory, at the commencement exercises from dental school. Ever since the publication of his first article “Shrinkage in Cast Gold Inlays” in 1912, he has been the champion of good dentistry and improved techniques. He has written many papers on complete dentures, removable partial dentures, fixed partial dentures, articulators, manipulation of wax, and soldering. 1-22He has given clinical demonstrations, courses, and individual lectures in 40 of the 50 states and in Canada. During his life many people have been near and dear to him, but two deserve special mention, Maria L. Sanford and William L. Shearer. Miss Sanford taught him English composition and rhetoric. She has been honored by having her statue displayed in the corridor leading to the Senate Wing of the Capitol Building, Washington, D. C. William L. Shearer, D.D.S., M.D., is an oral surgeon whom he met in Seattle, Washington, in 1928 when they were both on the same program. They became close friends, worked together, and developed a mutual respect for each other. Dr. Shearer was the originator of the alveolectomy.
T
0 DISCUSS THE MANY
*Chairman, Department of Prosthodontics. 1165
J. Pros. Den. November-December, 1966
RUDD
Frederick
S. Meyer,
D.D.S.
Dr. Meyer believes that dental programs should consist of practical demonstrations using patients and presenting the entire procedure, even to inserting the restoration. He does not have confidence in the clinician who declaims on good restorative dentistry but does not produce it before others. He demonstrated this belief at the American Dental Association meeting in Buffalo in 1932, when he cast an MOD inlay, a full crown, three five-tooth fixed partial dentures, and one fourteen-tooth fixed partial denture with four abutments. The amazing aspect of this feat is that all of the restorations were made by the indirect technique on amalgam dies seated in stone casts and none required adjusting or fitting at the
Volume Nunher
16 6
DR.
FRED
S.
1167
MEYER
time of insertion.6J6 This is not fantasy, for all of the dentists present at this meeting witnessed his work. He used procedures dependent upon the generated path technique, which he developed in 1930. It may be of interest to note that many clinicians use the principles of the generated path technique originated by Dr. Meyer 36 years ago. If these clinicians were well enough informed or sufficiently honest to give credit where credit is due, this contribution would be even better known. The continued repetition of clinics developed and demonstrated by Dr. Meyer is a tribute to his thinking, for it indicates that the principles upon which he based his techniques are as sound today as they were 30 years ago. THE
GENERATED
PATH
TECHNIQUE
The generated path technique was so successful with fixed partial dentures that he adapted it to complete dentures and all forms of reconstruction dentistry.* He made enough refinements in his generated path technique that he was able to make interchangeable duplicate and triplicate dentures. This contribution has been a boon to many patients and especially to those whose jobs require them to be before the public constantly. The patient with interchangeable duplicate dentures is fortunate, because if an accident occurs to one denture he has an immediate replacement on hand. Either maxillary denture may be worn with either mandibular denture, and the occlusion is perfect. Dr. Meyer made his first interchangeable duplicate dentures in 1947. Dr. Meyer, in 1948, made an excellent film*lg in sound and color, that shows in minute detail how he makes three sets of dentures for one patient. He was 72 years old at the time he made the film, a work that would have taxed the energies of a 30-year-old man working at the same pace. In the late 1940’s he used his generated path technique in the building of “full upper or lower artificial dentures to opposing natural teeth.“lT At the age of 75, he read a paper before the Minnesota State Dental Association in Minneapolis. During the associated clinic, he made a complete maxillary denture against lower natural teeth. A committee consisting of Dr. Milton G. Walls, Dr. Elmer ii. Sundby, and Dr. William H. Crawford, Dean of the School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, was appointed to examine the denture and render an unbiased report based on their observations. The denture was inserted by Dr. Walls, and the committee was unanimous in stating that it was one of the most outstanding demonstrations that they had ever witnessed. His results WeYe outstanding.17 The introduction of c~qx and sulci analysis and of three types of stressbreakers dates back to the work of Dr. Meyer in 1935. One of the stressbreakers had been used previously only in a modified form, whereas the other two types never had been used. Dr. Meyer is a staunch advocate of the use of the face-bow and thinks that it is the most “indispensable gadget” in prosthetic dentistry. He uses it routinely for fixed restorations as well as for complete dentures. At one time, he felt obligated to state that he was going to fight for the use of the face-bow, even if he had to stand alone.i7 *“Interchangeable
Duplicate
and
Triplicate
Dentures”
available
from
the
A.D.A.
film
library.
1168
RUDD
November-Dek:E,
ii%
ARTICULATORS
One of his “pet peeves” is the so-called anatomic articulators.13J7JS He says that in prosthetic dentistry we have had many drawbacks in checking our results accurately and have been led or misled in placing too much value on the so-called anatomic articulators. These instruments do not function in the same manner as the mouth.17 PUBLICATIONS
Among his publications was an article that everyone should read, “Some Sources of Error and Their Correction in the Making of Cast Gold Inlays,“5 published in 1929 with a discussion by Dr. Stanley D. Tylman. According to Dr. Tylman, the article explained some of the most frequent mishaps that occur when making small castings. Dr. Tylman taught his students Dr. Meyer’s method, and recorded errors of less than 1 per cent in 1,000 castings. Another classic was Dr. Meyer’s article on manipulation of wax. lo Anyone who has had difficulty in waxing crowns and inlays would do well to study and use the suggestions that he offered 3O.years ago. SOLDERING
TECHNIQUE
His major contribution and latest publication is “The Elimination of Distortion During Soldering.“22 Although it was not published until 1959, he developed the technique more than 30 years ago, and has used it successfully ever since. For years everyone tried to prevent shrinkage of the solder from distorting the bridges and failed. He not only proved conclusively that it was not the solder that caused the distortion but showed how to prevent distortions during soldering. For years to come, Dr. Meyer will be recognized for the generated path technique, the interchangeable duplicate denture technique, and the soldering technique. These three procedures have been responsible for the high degree of accuracy attained in reconstruction dentistry. A hearty and appreciative salute to a great prosthodontist, Dr. Fred S. Meyer, who has made so many outstanding contributions to dentistry ! REFERENCES
1. Meyer, F. S. : Shrinkage in Cast GoIld Inlays, D. Cosmos 54:758-764, 1912. 2. Meyer, F. S.: Explanation of am 1 Partial Remedies of Some of Our Failures on Cast Gold Inlays, D. Cosmos 68:s 25-537, 1926. 3. Meyer, F. S., and Maves, H. A.: Appendix to “Methods for Controlling Variables in the Casting Process,’ ” D. Res. J. 8:163-169, 1928. 4. Meyer, F. S., and Ma1res., H. A.: The Control of Variables in the Casting Process, Iowa D. Bull. 14:18-32, 1928. ources of Error 5. Meyer, F. S.: Some S--.---_ _~~~ and Their Correction in the Making of Cast Gold Inlays, J.A.D.A. 16:812-820, 1929. 6. Meyer, F. S. : Cast Bridgework in Functic ma1 Occlusion, J.A.D.A. 20:1015-1030, 1933. 7. Meyer, F. S.: A New, Simple and Accl urate Technic for Obtaining Balanced and Functional Occlusion, J.A.D.A. 21:195-: !03, 1934. 8. Meyer, F. S.: Balanced and Functional (3cclusion in Relation to Denture Work, J.A.D.A. 22:1156-1164, 1935. 9. Meyer, F. S.: Something New in Cusps and Sulc i Analysis, Balanced and Functional Occlusion and Stress-Breakers, J.A.D.A. 23:121 04-1212, 1936. 10. MeyerigT7S. : Mampulatron of Wax: Its Relation tc ) the Casting, J.A.D.A. 24:1655-1662,
DR.
2
FRED
S. MEYER
Meyer, F. S. : Partial Dentures, Australian D. J. 9:44-50, 1937. Meyer, F. S.: Can the Plane Line Articulator Meet All the Demands of Balanced and y;;;tional Occlusion in All Restorative Work? Colorado State D. A. J. 17:6-l6,
Meyer, F. S. : Balance and Functional Occlusion, Minneapolis Dist. D. J. 31:3-1.5, 1947. Meyer, F. S. : Balanced Occlusion in Full Dentures, Fortnightly Rev. 15:12-13, 1948. Meyer, F. S.: Why the Necessity for Accurate Balanced and Functional Occlusion? Fortnightly Rev. 16:7-g, 1948. 16.Meyerig:i S.: About Our Clinicians (Biographical Sketch), Bull. Alabama D. A. 35::7,
ii:
17. Meyer, F. ‘S. : Building Full Upper or Lower Artificial Dentures to Opposing Natural Teeth, Northwest Dent. 30:112-115, 1951. Meyer, F. S.: Dentures-Causes of Failures and Remedies, J. PROS. DENT. 1:672-691, 1951. 2 Meyer, F. S. : Interchangeable Duplicate and Triplicate Dentures (Film Review), J.A.D..4. 45 :339, 1952. 20. Meyer, F. S.: The Generated Path Technique in Reconstruction Dentistry. Part I. Complete Dentures, J. PROS. DENT. 9:354-366, 1959. 21. Meyer, F. S.: The Generated Path Technique in Reconstruction Dentistry. Part II. Fixled Partial Dentures, J. PROS. DENT. 9:432-440, 1959. 22. Meyer, F. S.: The Elimination of Distortion During Soldering, J. PROS. DENT. 9:441-447, 1959. 742 CLEARVIEW DRIVE SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78228