Huntington Dentist, Dentist in Huntington, WV

Rubber Dam

This office utilizes the placement of a 'Rubber Dam' for the majority of restorative procedures. Rubber Dam is a sheet or piece of latex or latex-free 'rubber' which is custom sized and fitted for the area of the mouth or teeth which are scheduled for restoration. The 'dam' is held in place usually by a 'clamp' or 'tooth-ring'. The purpose of the dam is to isolate the teeth and adjacent teeth for restoration for a variety of reasons:

• use of the dam keeps the operating field free of contaniments
• use of the dam protects the patient's lips, tongue and surrounding tissues
• use of the dam protects the patient from any material or instruments from dropping into the mouth or throat which could otherwise result in aspiration of foreign bodies or materials
• use of the dam increases the success of bonding procedures, i.e. sealants and 'white fillings (resins/composites)
• use of the dam protects patients tissues from any of the chemical agents used in restorative procedures
• use of the dam allows significant better visibility of the areas or teeth undergoing restoration