He turned over in his mind the technicalities of the case.

No, evidently the root was not strong enough to sustain a crown; besides that, it was placed a little irregularly in the arch.

But, fortunately, there were cavities in the two teeth on either side of the gap--one in the first molar and one in the palatine surface of the cuspid; might he not drill a socket in the remaining root and sockets in the molar and cuspid, and, partly by bridging, partly by crowning, fill in the gap?
He made up his mind to do it.
Why he should pledge himself to this hazardous case McTeague was puzzled to know.

With most of his clients he would have contented himself with the extraction of the loose tooth and the roots of the broken one.

Why should he risk his reputation in this case?
He could not say why.
It was the most difficult operation he had ever performed.