Evaluating dental office ergonomic. Risk factors and hazards

Area of Science:

• Occupational health
• Ergonomics
• Dental hygiene

Background:

• Growing concerns regarding ergonomic risk factors in healthcare settings.
• Need to assess risks specific to dental professionals' tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify ergonomic risk factors in common dental procedures.
• To quantify force, frequency, and duration of these tasks.

Main Methods:

• Electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle activity.
• Goniometry to assess joint angles and movement.
• Analysis of force, frequency, and duration during dental tasks.

Main Results:

• Scaling, polishing, flossing, and probing activities were evaluated.
• When considering task duration, force, and frequency, these activities showed low ergonomic risk.
• No significant exposure to high ergonomic risk identified for these specific dental tasks.

Conclusions:

• Common dental hygiene tasks may not pose high ergonomic risks.
• Further research can inform ergonomic interventions for dental professionals.