Author: Dr. Stuart Orton-Jones et al. A rubber dam is an essential tool in modern dentistry that serves to isolate the treatment area from the rest of the oral cavity.
It consists of a flexible, stretchable sheet (commonly latex or latex-free alternatives like nitrile) that is applied around one or more teeth using a metal clamp and frame. The primary goal of the rubber dam is to provide a clean, dry, and uncontaminated environment during dental procedures. While its use is more critical in procedures such as root canal treatment, it also plays a beneficial role in restorative dentistry, particularly in occlusal fillings involving composite resins.
