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I have taken care of Abby since she was 3 or 4 years old. She is now 15 and I recently had to fix a cavity in one of her teeth for her. Since she has never had treatment to repair tooth decay in her tooth, she was someone apprehensive and I explained all the steps that I would follow in order to complete her filling including the use of a rubber dam. Her treatment was uneventful except for the fact that having a numb lip and chin was astonishing for her. I hadn't hurt her while giving her Novocaine so it really was a mystery for her how her lip could feel sooooo different.
Yesterday, I fixed her second and last tooth that had a cavity and as I was taking my final look at the tooth prior to beginning treatment, she looked at me slightly alarmed and said:
"Aren't you going to use the rubber thing in my mouth?"
Her first experience was so positive, comfortable and safe when I used the rubber dam that she was nervous about having treatment without one. Even young children can tell when something is right and makes sense.
I have used a rubber dam since my second year in dental school and have never practiced a day without using one.
Why?
The rubber dam does all of the following:
1. Allows me to clearly see the tooth or teeth that I am about to repair
2. Keeps your tongue from being injured by the drill as it explores what I am doing.
3. Prevents you from swallowing mercury and tooth decay which is really bacteria
4. Keeps your lips and cheeks out of my way for complete visualization.
5. Keeps the area that I am working on clean and dry so that my bonded fillings are not contaminated by saliva which lead to premature failure.
If a patient knew nothing about a dentist other than that dentist routinely used rubber dam, the dentist would be a clear choice to be his or her dentist. Only 5% of dentists use rubber dam and it is an indisputable fact that the best dentistry is done using one.
So why wouldn't a dentist use rubber dam?
Either they are plain LAZY or they don't care about doing the best possible clinical dentistry.
Why don't you ask your dentist why he or she doesn't use one? Even children can see the benefits of using a dam.
