Born from the ultraventennial experience of Authors in Dental Clinic and Dental Teaching, this ebook completely dedicated to the isolation of the operating field has as its main objective to highlight how the dam application is an easy, essential and accessible step for all practitioners. The dam is not meant to be used by a small, privileged elite: it represents a simple and affordable solution for the practitioners who want to perform their job according to correct biological and ethical guidelines. Having a clear view means less stress, makes the job easier and simplifies the management of several factors, e.g. saliva and soft tissues. This is all about a different professional approach: to isolate means to respect one’s work and prolong one’s professional life. When we use a dam we are caring about the patient, but even more about ourselves. When fully aware about dam advantages, the practitioner will be sure to do the best for the patient and he/she won’t easily give up this habit even in the most difficult cases. In fact, in the most challenging clinical cases the advantages attributed to correct operative field isolation should act to motivate the practitioner to use the dam: for over a century this has been the very first step toward excellence in conservative and endodontic dentistry. In more than twentyfive years of a career in dentistry – partly devoted to professional training – we have never met any colleagues quitting the dam after learning and appreciating to operate in an isolated field: our job is not quite easy… there is no point in making it harder! For this reason, as well as for undeniable clinical and biological advantages, the dam should be seen as the best way to ease one’s own professional life and achieve one’s full potential with minimum effort and time spent. This is our philosophy since day one. For those who prefer blood, sweat and tears, this ebook is not for you…
