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Rubber dam


Why rubber dam:

  • Patient protection from aspiration or swallowing instruments, medicaments, irrigating solutions
  • A clean working field (patient can not contaminate anything)
  • Protection of the soft tissues
  • Improved visibility (mouth mirror will not become foggy
  • Increased efficiency (patient can not rinse and can not talk)
  • Protection of the dentist (judicial)

Sometimes it is better to prepare the endodontic access cavity without having rubber dam around the tooth. Good visibility on the contour and inclination of the radices makes it easier to prevent creating a perforation

If a tooth is mutilated in a way that the rubber dam is difficult to place, "Core" composit can be used as a temporary filling material to create enough hold for the clamp. The composite (with bonding) is adequately viscous that it creates a nice supporting ring on the remaining dentin.
Using the rubber dam clamp forceps The clamp is placed on the tooth and then the rubberdam is stretched over the clamped tooth . The use of vaseline can help to get the rubber dam around the tooth more easily.


The rubber dam has to be new, or it will be tear easily.

Methods of rubber dam placement:
  1. Place the clamp on the tooth and then stretch the rubber dam over the clamped tooth.
  2. Place the rubber dam around the tooth and then place the clamp on the tooth.
  3. Position the bow of the clamp through the hole in the dam and place the rubber dam over the wings of the clamp. Once the clamp is secured on the tooth, the rubber dam is teased under the wings of the clamp.
  4. Split-dam technique. An oval hole will be made in the rubber dam. The rubber dam will be teased around the adjacent teeth. This method can be used when there is insufficient crown structure.
Of course there has to be a sufficient set of clamps.

Further aids in rubber dam placement:
  • Wedges to keep the rubber dam under the contact point of the adjacent tooth
  • Liquid rubber dam to prevent leakage
  • Dental floss helps carry the rubber dam down around the gingiva

From this page you can order the following products in our catalogue:


  • Operating Microscope
  • Rubber dam
  • Rubber dam clamp
  • Rubber dam clamp forceps
  • Rubber dam punch
  • Rubber dam frame
  • Mouth Mirror
To former chapter: Access of the pulp chamber
To following chapter: Searching for access of root canals

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