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46 THE TECHNICAL PROCEDURES IN FILLING TEETH.

the first and second fingers of each hand with the forefingers and
thumbs on the occlusal side. Then the second, third and fourth
fingers are closed, or nearly closed, and the dam grasped be-
tween the thumbs and second fingers with the thumbs placed
opposite the second joint of the fingers, or between the first and
second joints. With this grasp stretch the dam a little and
engage the two forefingers in it close on either side of the hole
to be used and with them stretch the hole open. It is generally
necessary that the hole be opened.sufificiently wide so that the
tooth to which it is to be applied can be seen through it. Then
carry it back into the mouth and pass it over the tooth with the
forefingers, the one on the buccal, the other on the lingual, and
engage one edge of the hole between the teeth, preferably the
mesial first, and cause it to pass the contact by a sawing motion.
When this has passed into the interproximate space throw the
rubber over the distal surface, and if it is a second molar pass
the contact in a similar way. Then carry each of the finger-
ends hard against the gums on either side, buccal and lingual,
of the tooth and holding them firmly in position release the dam
with the thumbs and second fingers. The dam will now draw
around the tooth, or else it will be felt drawing on the ends of
the forefingers. In the latter case a little motion of the ends of
the fingers will allow the dam to slide by them and close firmly
around the tooth. Then, and not till then, the fingers may be
removed. The dam may now be grasped again in the same way
and the forefingers engaged on either side of the next hole to be
used and it brought over the next tooth, whether to the mesial
or distal, in a similar manner. Notice particularly that the
grasp on the rubber is to be released entirely at the end of its
application to each particular tooth and grasped anew for the
next.
It is just as important to know how to remove the fingers
from the rubber without pulling the rubber away with them after it
has been placed on the tooth as it is to place the rubber over
the tooth ; and I wish to emphasize the necessity of noting very
carefully the manner of doing this, and draw attention strongly
to the fact that the dam should be allowed to fully close around
the tooth while the fingers are still pressed against the gums on
its buccal and lingual sides. This applies to all grasps whatso-
ever that may be used in adjusting the rubber dam.