Sir, I read with interest correspondence from Danda et al. (BDJ 2008; 204: 352)1 and more recently Ballal (BDJ 2008; 205: 523)2 on this topic.

The latter describes the 'Isolite' mouthpiece system (www.isolitesystem.com) 'which will retract and protect cheek and tongue from accidental damage from high speed turbines ... it is easy to place and comfortable for the patient.'

I have used such a simple and rapid technique for over 38 years to utilise a similar idea on most patients requiring operative dentistry.

This system which has been used on a day-to-day basis in my private practice provides – in addition to protection and retraction such as described by the above writers – a welcome and extremely valuable reduction of the contamination of the workspace environment of dentist and nurse by the cocktail of microbiological debris that is the turbine generated aerosol.3,4

It's called rubber dam!