Rubber Dam Policy

by | Mar 14, 2023

Sharps Injury Policy

Last updated 14.03.2023

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All dentists working at The Dental Centre must adhere to the quality guidelines for endodontic treatment, consensus report of the European Society of Endodontology which states:

Isolation of Tooth of Teeth

Root canal treatment procedures should be carried out only when the tooth is isolated by rubber dam to:
  • Prevent salivary and bacterial contamination
  • Prevent inhalation and ingestion of instruments
  • Prevent irrigating solutions from escaping into the oral cavity
If dentists do not follow these guidelines when carrying out root canal treatment and a patient swallows or inhales a root canal instrument or irritant such as bleach, then the dentist is in an indefensible position from a medico-legal point of view.

In the event of a complaint being reported to the General Dental Council this could bring into question a dentist’s fitness to practice. This could ultimately lead to erasure from the dentist’s register.

In the event of not being able to place a rubber dam, the dentist must use other methods to prevent accidents such as this from occurring. This could include tying a length of dental floss to the handle of the root canal file or attaching the file to a ‘parachute’ chain device.

The reasons explaining why a rubber dam cannot be placed and the alternative methods of protecting the airway must be recorded in the patient’s treatment record. The dentist should also indicated in the record when a rubber dam has been placed as a matter of course.

Approved by: Kassandra Pantazi, Jakobus Krynauw
Date published: 25/10/2021