Rubber Dams Part of Excellent Dental Care

Dr. Beck & Dr. Morrow at South Waterfront Dental take great pride in providing state-of-the-art dental care to our patients.  One of the most important ways we protect our patients and help ensure lasting restorations is the use of the rubber dam while providing excellent dental care.

What is a Rubber Dam?

A rubber dental dam is a thin sheet of latex or silicone that isolate a tooth or a group of teeth requiring dental work. The

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teeth that need attention appear through holes cut into the appropriate areas of the rubber, separating them from the rest of the mouth while dental procedures are performed.

A Long History in Dental Care

Used in dentistry for over 150 years, this technique has three main advantages.  First, it helps create a physical separation between the patient and the procedure being done, helping to reduce dental anxiety and improving patient safety.  Secondly, the rubber dam is the standard of care when performing endodontic therapy, as it reduced the bacterial load in the operating field and minimizes the chance of contamination of the root canal system.  Third, the dental dam helps keep the operating field isolated and dry.  This is especially important when placing composite (tooth-colored) restorations, which are technique sensitive and require a very dry field in order to achieve long term success.

The Extra Step for Higher Quality Care

Not all dental practices use rubber dams routinely, but Dr. Beck and Dr. Morrow take this extra step in order to protect our patients.  We spend a lot of time and put a lot of work into producing high-quality dentistry, and using  the rubber dam helps our restorations last longer.  Of course, not all situations necessitate the use of the rubber dam, but we always try our best to use them when indicated.

If you have any additional questions or concerns about the use of the rubber dam or about how it benefits our patients, please contact Dr. Beck or Dr. Morrow at South Waterfront Dental.

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