Musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs) and pain are highly prevalent among dental professionals. Oral healthcare is a physically and mentally demanding profession as precise hand movements, awkward working postures, vibrating dental instruments, and repetitive motions are often utilized over long periods of time.
MSDs can result in pain or sensory disturbances in several body regions. They can become a temporary or chronic illness. Several studies have found MSDs often lead to inability to work, sick leave, poorer quality of work, decreased job satisfaction, work-related accidents, and premature departure from the profession. Furthermore, MSDs can cause high health care expenditures for the medical treatments. The health and economic burdens of MSDs are considerable.
The prevention of MSDs is crucial in order to decrease the mentioned risk factors, frequency of severe symptoms, high prevalence rates, and, in the long-term, promote good physical and mental health outcomes among dental professionals.
The objective of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence of ergonomic interventions for the prevention of MSDs among dental professionals. The focus is primarily on extrinsic factors such as ergonomic seating or visual aids.
Conclusions
Several ergonomic interventions to prevent MSDs among dental professionals were found to show positive effects on the prevalence of MSDs or working posture. The findings revealed five different areas of ergonomic interventions (ergonomic dental chairs, magnification loupes, prismatic spectacles, ergonomic dental instruments, and ergonomic training courses) that successfully contributed to the reduction in MSDs or the improvement of working posture among dental professionals.
