David Rempel1, David L Lee, Katie Dawson, Peter Loomer. 1. Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 1301 S. 46th St., Building 163, Richmond, CA 94804, USA. david.rempel@ucsf.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The design of periodontal curette handles may cause or aggravate arm pain in dental practitioners. The authors conducted a four-month randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of curette handle diameter and weight on arm pain among dental hygienists and dentists. METHODS:One hundred ten dental hygienists and dentists who performed scaling, root planing or dental prophylaxis procedures participated in this study. The authors assessed right wrist/hand, elbow/forearm and shoulder pain levels weekly. They randomized participants to receive either a set of light (14 grams) periodontal curettes with a large diameter (11 millimeters) or a set of heavy (34 g) periodontal curettes with a narrow diameter (8 mm). The authors compared changes in mean pain scores across the study period between intervention groups by using general linear models and controlling for covariates. RESULTS: The improvement in pain scores across the three body regions was greater for participants who used the lighter, wider-diameter curettes. In the final adjusted model, the differences were statistically significant only for the shoulder region (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: The study results show that dental instrument design has an effect on upper-extremity pain in dental practitioners. Using a lighter instrument with a wider diameter may be an easy and cost-effective intervention to reduce or prevent upper-extremity pain associated with dental hygiene procedures. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: To prevent or reduce arm pain, practitioners should consider using lightweight instruments with large diameters when performing scaling and root planing procedures.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: The design of periodontal curette handles may cause or aggravate arm pain in dental practitioners. The authors conducted a four-month randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of curette handle diameter and weight on arm pain among dental hygienists and dentists. METHODS: One hundred ten dental hygienists and dentists who performed scaling, root planing or dental prophylaxis procedures participated in this study. The authors assessed right wrist/hand, elbow/forearm and shoulder pain levels weekly. They randomized participants to receive either a set of light (14 grams) periodontal curettes with a large diameter (11 millimeters) or a set of heavy (34 g) periodontal curettes with a narrow diameter (8 mm). The authors compared changes in mean pain scores across the study period between intervention groups by using general linear models and controlling for covariates. RESULTS: The improvement in pain scores across the three body regions was greater for participants who used the lighter, wider-diameter curettes. In the final adjusted model, the differences were statistically significant only for the shoulder region (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: The study results show that dental instrument design has an effect on upper-extremity pain in dental practitioners. Using a lighter instrument with a wider diameter may be an easy and cost-effective intervention to reduce or prevent upper-extremity pain associated with dental hygiene procedures. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: To prevent or reduce arm pain, practitioners should consider using lightweight instruments with large diameters when performing scaling and root planing procedures.
Authors: Shawn C Roll; Kryztopher D Tung; Heng Chang; Tina A Sehremelis; Yoko E Fukumura; Samantha Randolph; Jane L Forrest Journal: J Am Dent Assoc Date: 2019-04-25 Impact factor: 3.634
Authors: D Van Eerd; C Munhall; E Irvin; D Rempel; S Brewer; A J van der Beek; J T Dennerlein; J Tullar; K Skivington; C Pinion; B Amick Journal: Occup Environ Med Date: 2015-11-08 Impact factor: 4.402