A LADY consulted me in November last under the following circumstances. She complained that for the last five or six months she had suffered continual pain night and day in the left side of the face, and more particularly on the top of the head. There was no toothache, nor could she identify the pain in connexion with any tooth. Furthermore, a very careful examination of all the teeth on the affected side failed to detect the slightest trace of caries. 40n the same side the first bicuspid tooth

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... was absent, the second bicuspid was turned half round, so that the outer cusp was presented to the first molar and the inner cusp to the-canine, and immediately over this tooth was to all appearances a very small piece of necrosed bone, quite firm, and the most minute investigation failed to detect anything in the nature of a tooth or stump. There had been no blow, no recollection of any fall, or injury of any character, that would account for it. Upon my suggesting that it was a case that should come under the more immediate care of a surgeon than that of a dentist, she informed me that she believed there was the stump of a tooth there, for some twelve years previously a tooth grew out from the gum horizontally, and directly over the second bicuspid. This decayed very early, and broke off, leaving no after ill-effects. Such a communication as this led, of course, to a further search for the missing fangs, without any corresponding success, when I determined upon an operation, the result of which proved satisfactory. I made an incision over the second bicuspid, laying bare the alveolar process, and, placing my thumb against the lingual surface to prevent loosening the tooth, firmly pressed a straight elevator into the cavity by the side of the small portion of necrosed bone, when, without the slightest further movement of the instrument, two small fangs, joined together, evidently those of the first bicuspid, slipped into the mouth. The diagnosis of the case was now complete; the opening caused by this almost painless operation was plugged with cotton-wool saturated with styptic colloid, and the patient sent home, and ordered to remove the wool and frequently rinse the mouth with warm water.