Is the rubber dam necessary?
Not only is it necessary, but required. To render root canal therapy without a rubber dam in place is to render care that falls below the standard of care. The purpose of the rubber dam is to isolate the tooth to be treated so that foreign objects aren’t swallowed or aspirated, and to keep saliva – which is full of bacteria – from contaminating the root canal system. In addition, it allows for easier manipulation by retracting the cheeks and tongue.
