Practical Dentistry (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Practical Dentistry<br><br>We may not speak of dentistry as an art or a science, but rather as numerous arts and sciences in combination, applied to a particular end. It has to do with medicine, surgery and mechanics. It delves into chemistry and metallurgy and in its highest phases exemplifies the fine arts.<br><br>It is not surprising, then, that a vast amount of literature should have sprung out of the investigations and experiences of the members of this youthful profession. Dental libraries contain a great deal, much of which is authoritative and exact, and there are many volumes treating branches upon which the last word is yet to be spoken.<br><br>But a wealth of material, much of it of great practical value, the result of the experiences of the active members of the profession has an ephemeral existence, appearing perhaps in a society paper, filling the pages of professional journals, quoted in the form of condensed paragraphs, and then lost in the files that are stored in the attic, or destroyed and forgotten.<br><br>This material has a value beyond estimation; and since professional learning has become so vast and complex that even the greatest student cannot master it all, but requires only to be able to find it, the need of the careful compiler is evident.<br><br>There is no conflict between theory and practice if both are right. The theorist may overlook the details of the application of his principles, or fail to note their limitations. But the man in practice who attempts to illustrate theories emphasizes, elaborates or qualifies in details, and thus brings principles and their application into complete harmony.<br><br>About the Publisher<br><br>Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com<br><br>This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.