Interdental wedge

The interdental wedge for the use during the insertion of approximal fillings of light curing synthetic material comprises the combination of a sole portion having disposed thereon an insert of a light conducting synthetic material and a light conducting element, such as a light reflector, to conduct the light necessary for curing and coming from the front surface of the wedge on the filling. The sole portion consists of a material which is compressible and requires strongly increasing forces for further compression; thus, the wedge can snugly fit to the approximal contour of the tooth to be treated and exert sufficiently high separation forces. Preferably, the material of the sole portion is wood whose fibers are preferably aligned in lengthwise direction of the wedge, and/or a synthetic material having included therein compressible filler particles. Thermoplastics and thermoplastic elastomers are preferred synthetic materials. Such a wedge combines the advantages of wood or a synthetic material having similar compression characteristics for a good adhesion of the wedge and sufficient separating forces, with the advantages of a wedge made of a light conducting synthetic material, in order to bring about or to accelerate the curing of the synthetic filling.