Ergonomic risks in the work practice of dentists
Keywords:
ergonomic risks, dentistry, occupational hazards, musculoskeletal disorders.Abstract
Introduction: Dentistry is a branch of health that requires greatphysical and mental effort from its professionals due to the long periods
of work and the level of complexity of the activity, so it is important to take
into account a proper position during dental work to prevent conditions
related to posture and musculoskeletal disorders.
Objective: To update on the ergonomic risks that dental professionals
manifest in their work practice.
Material and Methods: A systematic review was carried out following
the PRISMA recommendations. The information search was performed
in the PubMed/Medline and SciELO regional databases, as well as in the
search sites of the Elsevier Publishing House and the academic search
engine Google Scholar between the months of June and November 2023.
Results: The year 2020 was the one with the most publications, but
a relative stable trend was maintained in the remaining years; the year
2018 was the one with the highest average citation count (11.8), with the
years 2021 and 2023 being those with the lowest average citation count
(1.7 and 1.0, respectively); general dentistry was the only subject area
represented in all sources; studies in the subject area of general dentistry
were the largest in both experimental and descriptive studies.
Conclusions: Dental professionals face ergonomic and occupational
risks that can cause musculoskeletal disorders and other health problems
due to uncomfortable postures, repetitive movements, long work hours,
intense efforts, monotonous tasks and firm grip on tools or prolonged
exposure to vibrations.
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