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Rubber dam question #10

K

K-Bird

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
475
Ok, again I am serious about this question...I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get out of the rubber dam thing,the tooth is the very back upper tooth.
Anyway, what if I get so terrified that I puke and the rubber dam
is there...I mean can I then aspirate it? I'd like to shoot the person who invented it! Not Kidding!!
 
I've had dental dams used before and had some of the same fears you do. I absolutely hate rubbery-type stuff in my mouth--even stringy cheese on pizza makes me gag a little.

The thing is, though, that I don't see why they'd use a dam for extracting a back wisdom tooth. I think that would actually make the job of taking it out twice as hard. Why do you think they might use a dam?
 
I've had dental dams used before and had some of the same fears you do. I absolutely hate rubbery-type stuff in my mouth--even stringy cheese on pizza makes me gag a little.

The thing is, though, that I don't see why they'd use a dam for extracting a back wisdom tooth. I think that would actually make the job of taking it out twice as hard. Why do you think they might use a dam?

Oh no, this tooth has a large cavity that is going to be filled...rubber dam vs extraction--hard choice...
 
Oh no, this tooth has a large cavity that is going to be filled...rubber dam vs extraction--hard choice...

They want to use a rubber dam for a filling? I have had entire fillings replaced on the far back upper teeth and never had issues without the dam. Not even sure my dentist uses them for anything ever??? Never actually encountered one (luckily). I'm in the states but my understanding was they were only necessary for root canals. Has your dentist said it was necessary for the procedure? Hmm not sure what to do in this case...perhaps you could sign a release saying that you understand the risks of performing the procedure without one and persuade them to take their chances without it? Otherwise try and find a dentist who does not use one (probably a lengthy process). Not sure what your feelings are on sedatives but you could try an anti-anxiety agent (nitrous, valium, etc.,) and see how it goes. You might be able to try desensitizing to it...tolerating it for short periods and see how you do prior to starting the procedure (take it for a "test-run" in a sense) although it looks difficult to place. I think in any case you can aspirate vomit with or without the dam, being in the reclined position but I have never heard this mentioned as a potential danger to using it.
 
Maybe one of the dentists can comment on this.... but rubber dams weren't always used. Why are they a must now? Or are they? Maybe you can ask that the damn dam :giggle: not be used?
 
Using a dam is the standard of care for root canal treatments (much higher success rate because it protects the tooth from bacteria in saliva entering the tooth), and it can also be very useful to keep a tooth dry when doing a white (composite) filling (especially back teeth are hard to keep dry, and if the environment is wet, the bonding doesn't stick properly).
 
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