Greene brothers' clinical course in dental prosthesis : in three printed lectures; new and advance-test methods in impression, articulation, occlusion, roofless dentures, refits and renewals / by Jacob W. Greene.

Greene, Jacob W. (Jacob Wesley), 1839-1916.

Date:: [1914], ©1914

Credit: Greene brothers' clinical course in dental prosthesis : in three printed lectures; new and advance-test methods in impression, articulation, occlusion, roofless dentures, refits and renewals / by Jacob W. Greene. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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$NOW FOR THE BITE. The too common idea of a bite is: the nat- ural, horizontal relation of the alveolar ridges of the upper and lower jaws. It is, however, correct as far as it goes; but it doesn't go far enough. To this limited idea should be added: tcken they are at proper distance apart, perpendicjilarhj. Even the horizontal relation of the jaws often changes as the distance apart varies. Then, a practical definition of a sO'Called bite would be: The natnral, horizontal re- lation of the jaii'S ichen at their proper distance apart. The distance apart meaning the length of the teeth to be, plus the combined thickness of the bite^plates used. But strange how man\^ dentists, including some of the brightest among them, fail to con- sider the distance apart of the jaws in taking a bite. Indeed, I 've found more than a few who contended even that the distance, or width of the bite, makes no difference; hence they could change it at will after taken. For example: If you need a starter for thinking on this feature of our theme, just open your oicn mouths and observe how much faster the s])ace increases between your front teeth tlian between your back ones. AVhat 's true of your natural teeth would hold just the same with your gums, without your teeth; or with plates of artificial teeth. Xo correct bite (or horizontal relation of the jaws) at any given distance apart would be cor- rect at any other distance apart. Then the first thing, and tJie thing, in tak- ing a bite is to settle on the distance apart you want the jaws; or, in other words, the$