[The rubber dam in dental practice: use and practical advice]. / La digue en pratique dentaire: utilité et conseils pratiques.

Use of rubber dam offers many advantages in endodontic, operative and prosthetic procedures. Rubber dam protects the patient against ingestion or inhalation of instruments or chemical products, the cavity against contamination and the dental practitioner against infections. This article gives technical advice for the easy application of rubber dam.

[The rubber dam, a problem for the dentist or the patient?]. / La digue, problème pour le dentiste ou pour le patient?

Although the advantages of rubber dam use are obvious and rubber dam use is established standard of care in many disciplines, its application in general dental practice is low. To assess whether a negative attitude of patients might be the case, 304 patients were asked by means of a questionnaire comments on their treatment under rubber dam. The majority of the patients experienced no hinder, excepted for rubber dam restricting the communication with the dental practitioner. Women experienced more often than men anxiety, whereas smokers more frequently experienced discomfort.