How unpleasant is that?
The clasps are uncomfortable, but one cannot speak of pain. The feeling corresponds to a pressure exerted on the tooth and gums. However, you will get used to this feeling over time.
It becomes uncomfortable again when the clasp comes off. Depending on the tooth, the feeling differs in how uncomfortable it is. If the tooth already suffers from pain, nerve inflammation or other reasons, the clasp is more uncomfortable. In such cases, the clasp can also be applied to another tooth
Risks and side effects
Since the clasps are close to the gums, and even partially pinch off the gums, the gums may be slightly injured. If the teeth are not very stable in the bone, the clasps will not hold well. If the rubber is on too much tension, it pulls indirectly via the clasps also on the tooth.
If the selected clasp does not fit exactly around the tooth, a clasp that is too tight could damage the hard tooth substance. If there is a filling in the area of the neck of the tooth, it could be blown off by the pressure of the clasp. A problem exists with patients who have difficulty breathing through the nose. Saliva collects in the oral cavity during the treatment, which can be swallowed. Nevertheless, mouth breathing should be avoided during the session.
Duration
The length of time the rubber dam is in place varies depending on the treatment. In the case of fillings, it is only applied when the filling is placed. When removing caries, the rubber dam interferes.
In the case of root canal treatment, the rubber dam is sometimes also placed at the beginning of the treatment. If the root canal has already been opened, it is best to place the rubber dam at the beginning. When the root canal is opened for the first time, caries may still have to be removed.
The rubber dam is only applied when a build-up filling has to take place, or even for the actual root canal treatment. The application itself is quick, as long as you have a certain amount of practice. It can be removed even faster.
However, the application process varies from patient to patient. If two or more clamps are used, it naturally takes a little longer. In most cases, however, the dentist and assistant are so well-rehearsed that this can be done within a minute.
