How to Put a Rubber Dam and Clamp on in Dentistry

Rubber dams are an essential tool used to isolate teeth during a dental procedure. While in dental school, the students are required to place the clamps and dental dams onto their patient's teeth themselves. After dental school, the majority of dentists will only use dental dams for isolation during endodontic treatment. It is a good idea to train dental assistants how to perform this task for their doctors.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber dam hole punch
• Rubber dam forceps
• Lubricant
• Waxed floss
• Dental spoon

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Instructions

• 1

  Punch a hole directly into the rubber dam using the rubber dam hole punch. Repeat this step, so that there is also a hole for the two adjacent teeth to the tooth you are working on. These will help anchor the dam down. Place a thin layer of lubricant onto the punched area.

• 2

  Choose the correct corresponding dam clamp. Ligate the clamp with floss. Using the rubber dam forceps, place the dam and clamp onto the tooth. Make sure that the lingual clamp jaws go on first, followed by the facial. Hold down the the clamp with your finger.

• 3

  Stretch the dam over all three teeth. Floss in between the three teeth, forcing the rubber dam down in between the contacts of the teeth.

• 4

  Hold the dental dam frame up to the patient's face. Stretch the corners of the rubber dam onto the frame. Push the edge of the rubber dam down into the gingival sulcus, using the dental spoon.