The ergonomics during dental work is as essential as the work itself. They can preserve the health of the doctor and the other staff.
Ergonomic goals:
- Improving the workflow by eliminating unnecessary steps and effort.
- Minimizing mental and physical fatigue.
- Workplace comfort, quality and satisfaction.
Consequences:
- Discomfort - chronic pain.
- Incidents - injuries.
- Fatigue - mistakes.
- Musculoskeletal disorders: back and neck pain, tendonitis, epicondylitis, carpal tunnel syndrome.
Risk factors:
- Continuous work with vibrating instruments.
- Static posture.
- Repeated movements (for example: scaling).
- Continuous work with heavy tools or with thin and uncomfortable handles.
- Applying force.
The goals of ergonomics can be achieved through:
- Suitable hand tools - reducing the force applied and providing a neutral position in the joints, with a handle with a diameter of 5- 11 mm and a circular cross-section, light and balanced, color coded.
- Dental unit - the most commonly used instruments should be located at a comfortable distance (area with forearm radius at fixed elbow joint).
- Lighting - reflector, tips with integrated fiber optic lighting.
- Magnifying glasses / magnifiers - to improve posture and ensure clear vision.
- Chair - should provide maximum clinician stability, lumbar support, adjustment, arm support, mobility and patient access. A variety of standard chairs is the "straddle stool”.
- Patient posture - knees slightly higher than the nose, thus ensuring good brain perfusion, when working in the maximal area the back of the chair is almost parallel to the floor and the mandible slightly upright (mentum points down).
- Neutral position of the clinician - forearms and thighs parallel to the floor, 90 'angle in hip and 105-125' in knee, elbows folded to body, patient's mouth at elbow level.