146 Where There Is No Dentist 2012
Cement Filling Material
Many companies make temporary filling material. The names on the
packages are different. This makes it hard to know which one to order.
However, the basic material of each product is the same—zinc oxide and
oil of cloves (eugenol). To save money, order these two main ingredients in
bulk, instead of an expensive kind of dental cement filling material.
Oil of cloves is a liquid.
Zinc oxide is a powder.
You may be able to buy a special kind of zinc oxide powder called I.R.M.
(Intermediate Restorative Material). Fillings with I.R.M. are stronger and harder,
so they last longer. But it is more expensive than zinc oxide and eugenol.
HOW TO PLACE THE CEMENT FILLING
Lay out on a clean cloth:
your syringe, needle,
and local anesthetic
(in case a tooth hurts)
your instruments:
mirror, probe,
tweezers, spoon,
filling tool,
mixing tool
oil of cloves
(eugenol) and
zinc oxide
lots of cotton:
cotton rolls,
gauze, or
cotton wool
smooth glass to
mix cement
To place a cement filling, follow these 5 steps (pages 147–150):
1. Keep the cavity dry.
2. Lift out the soft decay.
3. Mix the cement.
4. Press the cement into the cavity.
5. Remove the extra cement from around the cavity and the tooth.