Plumber’s teflon tape can have many uses in dentistry. It is relatively inexpensive, and can be found in your local hardware store. Plumber’s tape is a great alternative to mylar strips for isolation when doing anterior restorations to protect adjacent teeth from etch and bonding agent. The tape can also be used to isolate adjacent teeth when restoring anterior teeth with veneers or composite. The tape sticks to the adjacent teeth and allows for better contours and great contact. Prior to adding the tape, dry the teeth as it will aid in adherence. In this video, I have demonstrated using plumber’s teflon tape in a class IV anterior composite.
For more information, check out these posts:
Occlusion Design: Plumber’s tape for dentistry
Dentistry Today: Using plumber’s teflon tape to enhance bonding procedures
~Stephanie Sadler, Tufts ’14
Interesting idea. Each day, people and professionals around the world come up with interesting and innovative ways to improve procedures. This idea of using plumbers’ tape is pretty fascinating.
Tried the Teflon tape for the first time and it works quite well!