When it’s wet and rainy outside it’s always a good idea to wear a raincoat.

When your Houston dentist works on your teeth, he will sometimes use a special kind of a “tooth raincoat” called a rubber dam.

A rubber dam is made out of a stretchy, rubbery material.

To put a rubber dam on your tooth, your dentist first puts holes in it that match the teeth being worked on.

Then your Houston dentist places a special metal holder on your tooth. The rubber dam just slips on over the metal holder (it is called a dental clamp). A special frame is attached to hold the rubber dam tight and out of the way.
Once the rubber dam is in place, it keeps your tooth dry and prevents any debris from the procedure from falling to the back of your throat. It keeps you more comfortable, and lets your dentist do a better job. When the procedure is complete, it comes right off.

Just like your raincoat at home, the rubber dam protects you and keeps things dry.