Because of their anatomical curvature, Composi-Tight® bands are a little more difficult to place than a non-contoured Tofflemire band. Several options can help:

1. Break contact with the adjacent tooth with a very fine diamond. You will regain this contact, and you will not leave unsupported enamel. Slide the band in laterally (from buccal to lingual or vice-versa, instead of occlusally): First grasp the band with a high quality dressing forceps (or the GDS Band Placement Forceps). Then pre-curl the band to approximate the tooth's curvature. Drag the band through the interproximal area. This will prevent the band from hanging up on the gingival floor of the tooth being restored.

[Note: Sometimes the curvature of the band may make dragging the band laterally into place appear difficult since the cheek may be in the way of the forceps. Bending the outside edge of the band where the forceps is grasping it easily solves this.]

2. If a very conservative preparation is desired where the contact with the adjacent tooth is not broken, try placing the G-Ring® on while the preparation is being cut. This will allow the teeth to separate for a longer period of time. Then remove the ring and insert the matrix band as described above. Now the ring can be replaced and the restoration completed.

3. A third option is to use a section of a Tofflemire band along with the G-Ring®. Additional burnishing will be required to achieve contour, but the benefits of using the rings for separation instead of solely relying on a wedge will result in a better contact than solely using a Tofflemire retainer and wedge.

4. The small size sectional matrix bands are often easier to place than the standard or large sizes. They are also the more commonly used size for bicuspids and many molar restorations.

Composi-Tight® will expand further than a standard matrix, but there are some gaps that no matrix can repair.

Wedge lightly using a small WedgeWand®. The intent of the WedgeWand® is to hold the band tight to the tooth, sealing off the gingival margin. The wedge is not required for separating the teeth. Let the G-Ring® do the separating. If a tighter contact is desired, a more firm wedging combined with the force of the G-Ring will achieve this.

Due to the contour of the band and the tightness of the contact, removing the band cannot be achieved with cotton pliers. GDS offers Band Placement Forceps that are ideal for this purpose. They have fine teeth that engage with one another, allowing the band to be removed easily. Hemostats or Howe pliers are also adequate for removing the band.

The system was designed, developed and tested for use with composites. Contacts will be good, tight and broad at the height of contour, however, if the amalgam is not fully set it is possible to fracture the amalgam when removing the band. Now that the final problem with posterior composite fillings has been solved (getting good contacts), why use amalgam?