Prepping Inlays and Onlays
A quick tip on prepping for inlays and onlays. I was talking to Mike Skramstad a few weeks ago and he was telling me a tip he uses when doing inlay and onlay preps and prepping the interproximal. I have been using it ever since. Check out the wave wedges from triodent.com. This will probably work with any wedge, but the wave wedges are really wide and protect the papilla. Place the biggest wave wedge you can interproximally before you prep anything. This will push the papilla down and protect the gingiva from nicking it with the bur and causing bleeding. Prep for the restoration and leave the wedge in all the way through cementation. It has saved me a lot of aggravation and time. Thanks Skram!
Sam's going to hate that tip, as his favorite thing to say when presenting about inlays is "You know when you shoved that piece of wood into my gums, doc? I loved that!" Sounds like a pretty good tip!
that's why I use plastic! Actually, these wedges are hollow on the underside so it fits perfect over the papilla.
