When it is essential to perform procedures that require the teeth to remain dry, then the use of a rubber dam is warranted. This protects the patient from debris that may be present during many different types of procedures such as teeth cleaning, drilling, filling, and any other type of work that may leave behind residue that wouldn’t be pleasant to have in the mouth. A rubber dam is a thin sheet of rubber that is used to protect the area where the dentist is working. Through specially designed slits in the dam, the dentist is able to get to the areas that he or she needs to without all of the different materials escaping down the patient’s throat.

Whenever a patient receives procedures such as inlays or resin onlays, has sealing agents applied, root canals, fillings and other types of procedures, then one of these dams is essential, not only to the patient’s health but also comfort.

Most of these are made from latex, however, there are those made from other types of materials for the patient who may have an allergic reaction to latex.

These devices will feel a little foreign at first if you have never experienced one, but you will quickly adapt to it. This will allow the patient to not have to struggle to keep their mouth open as this device will do that for them. The patient can also relax their jaw muscles and their tongue, and some say this makes the entire process a lot more stress free.

There are many reasons why your dentist may want to use a rubber dam. Some of those reasons might include allowing the teeth to remain dry, positioning the tongue out of the way, to control bleeding gums, to deal with the gag reflex that is present in all patients, and to keep bacteria away from the area that is being worked on by limiting the contact with saliva.

The Benefits of a Rubber Dam

It protects your mouth and your throat from unneeded and unwanted debris. It also keeps unpleasant odors from penetrating the throat and tongue as much. It helps your dentist be better able to see the area in which he or she is concentrating on without the intrusion of the tongue and having to continually ask the patient to open their mouth a little more.

The Procedure for Placing a Rubber Dam

The device will be prepared before it is put into your mouth by putting it on a rack that will allow the dentist to punch holes in it so that he or she will be able to see the particular area in which they will be working. This is done on a per patient basis because it wouldn’t be possible to have the product ready ahead of time as each patient’s needs are different, and they may need work on a different amount of teeth throughout the mouth.

Once it is placed inside the patient’s mouth, it is clamped onto a tooth which secures it. Once all of the work has been completed, the device will be removed.

Houston Dentist is an expert in cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic dental teeth procedures and rubber dam.

For your dental needs please contact us at http://www.houstondentists.org/

Author Bio: Houston Dentist is an expert in cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic dental teeth procedures and rubber dam.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Rubber Dam, Dental Teeth Procedures, Oral Surgery, Fillings, Onlays, Inlays, Dentistry