A user friendly design of rubber dam for bonding in orthodontics- old wine in a new bottle

Abstract

It is essential to create a dry working field while bonding. One of the methods to isolate the teeth is by using rubber dam. Though it was introduced 30 years ago in orthodontics, it is seldom practiced. The main reason for the misconception is that engaging the rubber dam onto the teeth is a tedious and time-consuming procedure. When literature was reviewed, only bonding pertaining to a single arch was observed. Additionally, the long axis of the teeth and occlusal interferences were not given due consideration. Trying to fit the conventional rectangular rubber dam into an oral cavity which is oval or round when opened is the main reason for the difficulty encountered. Moreover, the maximum time spent by the orthodontist with the patient is during the initial bonding procedure. As we health workers are prone to face various strains of contagious pathogens, including precautionary measures in our practice becomes mandatory. In this article, a step-wise method of bonding using optra dam is explained.