Pediatric Dentistry
In kid words
"A dental dam is a stretchy little sheet that covers your mouth except for one tooth, kind of like a tiny raincoat just for that tooth." It keeps that one tooth dry and easy to see while the dentist works on it. Everything else stays covered and out of the way, and it comes off again as soon as that part is done.
The parent version
A dental dam, sometimes called a rubber dam, is a thin, flexible sheet placed over the mouth with a small opening that isolates a single tooth. It keeps that tooth dry and visible and keeps the rest of the mouth, including the tongue and cheek, comfortably out of the treatment area.
It is standard, mainstream dental equipment used during certain procedures, not a sign that anything unusual is happening. Whether one is used for a particular visit depends on the tooth and the treatment planned, so it is a fair thing to ask your pediatric dentist about ahead of time if your child is curious or a little nervous about it.
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Where you might hear it at our office
A dental dam is the kind of tool that sometimes shows up during a repair, part of the broader restorative dentistry family of visits where a cavity gets fixed. Not every repair calls for one, and your pediatric dentist can tell you in advance whether your child's particular visit will include it.
Plenty more dental words get demystified, one entry at a time, in our Kids' Dental Dictionary.
Related words
Related words worth knowing: filling, crown and pulp therapy.
Parents ask us
Will my child need a dental dam at every appointment?
No. It depends on the tooth and the treatment planned, and plenty of visits do not call for one at all. Ask your pediatric dentist whether a specific appointment will include it.
Why cover the rest of the mouth for just one tooth?
It keeps that one tooth dry and easy to see, and keeps everything else, including little tongues and cheeks, comfortably out of the way while the work happens.
Does a dental dam look the same at every visit?
Not necessarily. It is fitted around the tooth being treated each time, so it can look a little different visit to visit. Your pediatric dentist can walk your child through it before it goes on.
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Call (239) 482-2722