Modification of rubber dam clamp increases access to distal surfaces of anchor teeth.

T he last tooth in the dental arch frequently requires treatment of dental caries. Using the rubber dam, dentists encounter difficulty in preparing the distoproximal box because the bow of the clamp interferes with the dental handpiece. This problem has been partly ameliorated by the clamp with a long distal extension. However, in some instances, the extension impinges on the anterior border of the mandibular ramus, causes rotation of the clamp, and decreases access to the distoproximal surface. The clamp also has a tendency to tip forward and limit access. The purpose of this study was to determine if access to the distoproxim.al surface of an anchor tooth could be increased by modifying the bow-jaw relationship of current rubber dam clamps.