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Silicosis in dental supply factory workers
Rafael E de la Hoz1, Kenneth Rosenman, Alain Borczuk
1Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. rafael.delahoz@mssm.edu
Abstract:
Dental products contain a variety of potentially hazardous materials, including metals, organic chemical compounds, plastics, and inorganic mineral dusts. The risk of silicosis has been documented for workers of dental laboratories, but not dental supply factories, where the exposures could be expected to be higher. We report in this article five cases of silicosis, four of them with progressive massive fibrosis, in workers from two dental supply factories. This report underlines the need for effective occupational health programs in this type of industrial facilities.