It's So Hard To Say, "I hurt you"

But when you're patient is anesthetized, they have no idea what you've done in their mouth.  When [as dental students working without assistants] you are working by yourself it is important to isolate the area where you are working.  I have tried everything, including the sphedopter [sp?] that was in our kits.  What I have learned is that the cotton roll is my friend, and if I'm doing any sort of opperative the rubber dam is the best thing going.