Does your dentist use a rubber dam for treatments? The answer is, probably not, but this is why he/she should use one. I use it all the time and here is why.
So what is a rubber dam? A rubber dam is a very thin and light piece of plastic/rubber which neatly fits over the exact tooth a dentist is working on. The result is that the patient’s tongue, lip and cheeks are all out of the way and I can focus just on doing my best job on that particular tooth. Patient’s love rubber dam because they can breathe a lot easier as there is no water spray or bits of decay or debris or fillings going down their throat. Most dentists simply can’t be bothered in spending the couple of extra minutes in placing the rubber dam over the tooth and cost wise, a sheet of rubber dam doesn’t even cost a pound. So next time you have a dental procedure done, insist on a rubber dam. It’s quicker, more comfortable and you don’t have the dental nurse catching your tongue with all the instruments. For the dentist, I feel happy that the patient is comfortable, the treatment is quicker and the quality of treatment is more exact.
REFERENCES
Textbook of Operative Dentistry Paperback
by Nisha Garg , Amiit Garg
J Endod. 2014 Nov;40(11):1733-7.
The effect of rubber dam usage on the survival rate of teeth receiving initial root canal treatment: a nationwide population-based study.
Lin PY, Huang SH, Chang HJ, Chi LY
Current trends in endodontic treatment by general dental practitioners: report of a United States national survey.
See comment in PubMed Commons below
J Endod. 2014 May;40(5):618-24. doi: 10.1016/j.joen.2014.01.029. Epub 2014 Mar 26.