Introduction:
Dentists are
susceptible to MSDs as a result of prolonged static postures and
musculoskeletal loading during dental practices for the accuracy required. MSDs
are very common among dentists (~60%-90%) and it’s an umbrella term for
different types of injuries and these can lead to long-term disability which
can cause a significant negative overall impact on dentists’ daily life. We
present three dentists with different MSDs.
Case 1:
42 year-old
woman was admitted to our occupational medicine outpatient clinic with neck,
left arm and back pain. She worked as a dentist for 18 years. In her cervical
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), there was diffuse bulging, paracentral
protrusion and spinal cord compression. She was diagnosed as cervical
discopathy and spinal cord compression.
Case 2:
50 year-old
man was admitted to our occupational medicine outpatient clinic with pain at
his neck, shoulder, back and leg. He
worked as a dentist for 25 years. At his shoulder MRI, there was edema,
inflammation and incomplete rupture at his right biceps and supraspinatus
tendons. He was diagnosed as right biceps and supraspinatus tendon partial
rupture.
Case 3:
48 year-old
woman was admitted to our occupational medicine outpatient clinic with pain at
her both hands, wrists and back. She worked as a dentist for 24 years. At her
cervical and lumbar MRIs, there was diffuse bulging and compression at several
levels of neural foramens. She was diagnosed as cervical and lumbar discopathy.
Conclusion:
MSDs are
important health problems for dentists that have great impact on their quality
of life. Application of ergonomic principles will help to reduce stress and
eliminate many potential injuries and disorders associated with the overuse of
muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks. In Turkey, we need such an education
and ergonomic improvement program for dentists.
Key Words: Musculoskeletal Disorders,
Dentist, Cervical Discopathy
Journal Section | Articles |
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Authors | |
Publication Date | November 1, 2017 |
Published in Issue | Year 2017 Volume 2, Issue 1(4) |