Occupational changes in manual tactile sensibility of the dentist.

The aim of this study was to find out if the use of vibrating tools (drill, ultrasonic scaler ...) in dental practice has negative side effects on the manual tactile sensibility of the dentist. The sensory tests were performed on 50 subjects, who were allocated to three different groups according to their occupation and the length of their working experience. The first test group consisted of 20 dentists, who had more than 25 years of work experience. As a control group, 20 non-dentists were recruited to obtain a similar age distribution as the former test group. A final group consisted of 10 dentists with more than 1 year of work experience. All subjects underwent three tests: light-touch sensation test, two-point discrimination test and thermal sensation test on the thumb and the index finger of the working and non-working hands. Results showed significant differences, especially for the light-touch sensation test. The study showed more specifically that the tactile sensibility of the working hand of the dentists with more than 25 years of work experience was significantly diminished with respect to the non-working hand and to the working hand of non-dentists. In the test group of young dentists, there was no noticeable reduction of manual tactile sensibility.

[1]  R Jacobs,et al.  Oral mucosal versus cutaneous sensory testing: a review of the literature. , 2002, Journal of oral rehabilitation.

[2]  R. Jacobs,et al.  Methodology of oral sensory tests. , 2002, Journal of oral rehabilitation.

[3]  J. Fridén,et al.  Vibration Damage to the Hand: Clinical Presentation, Prognosis and Length and Severity of Vibration Required , 2001, Journal of hand surgery.

[4]  R. Werner,et al.  Prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome and median mononeuropathy among dentists. , 2001, Journal of the American Dental Association.

[5]  S. Rossi,et al.  Vibration-induced multifocal neuropathy in forestry workers: electrophysiological findings in relation to vibration exposure and finger circulation , 2000, International archives of occupational and environmental health.

[6]  B. Noël.  Pathophysiology and classification of the vibration white finger , 2000, International archives of occupational and environmental health.

[7]  O. Aszmann,et al.  Relationship Between Cutaneous Pressure Threshold and Two‐Point Discrimination , 1998, Journal of reconstructive microsurgery.

[8]  J A Bell-Krotoski,et al.  Threshold detection and Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments. , 1995, Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand Therapists.

[9]  K. Conrad,et al.  Peripheral nerve dysfunction in practicing dental hygienists. , 1990, Journal of dental hygiene : JDH.

[10]  A L Dellon,et al.  Two-point discrimination tester. , 1985, The Journal of hand surgery.

[11]  R. Jacobs,et al.  Potential occupational health problems for dentists in Flanders, Belgium , 2005, Clinical Oral Investigations.

[12]  M. Cherniack,et al.  A pilot study of hand and arm musculoskeletal disorders in dental hygiene students. , 2003, Journal of dental hygiene : JDH.

[13]  G. Lundborg,et al.  Hand function in workers with hand-arm vibration syndrome. , 1999, Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand Therapists.

[14]  M. Cherniack,et al.  A comparison of traditional electrodiagnostic studies, electroneurometry, and vibrometry in the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. , 1996, The Journal of hand surgery.