| 1319 Initial investigation of an ergonomic intervention for dental practitioners: an intra-oral camera as the visual aid during a clinical procedure | ||
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P. BOYD1, E. RIVERA1, L. JOHNSON2, and D. ANTON2, 1University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa CIty, USA, 2University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA It has been established that neck, shoulder, and back pain possibly leading to musculoskeletal disorders exist in dentists due to clinical procedures. There has been little research to offer an ergonomic intervention to reduce dentists' discomfort. Using an intra-oral camera as a visual aid during an operative procedure may permit the clinician to maintain an ergonomically-correct work posture, thus decreasing upper-torso pain. Objective: To determine if differences in muscle load of the right upper trapezius exist when using a dental mirror versus an intra-oral camera to visualize the work area. Methods: Nine right-handed, second year dental students performed a simple task on a dental mannequin (tracing the central groove of a right maxillary molar) while using either a dental mirror or an intra-oral camera as the visual aid. When using the intra-oral camera, subjects observed an image of the tooth projected on the monitor. Root mean square (RMS) amplitude of surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure the muscular load of the upper right trapezius. The EMG data were normalized to reference contractions, which served as controls. The subjects used each visual aid three times, making a total of six trials. Each trial lasted approximately twenty-five seconds, with the EMG being measured for fifteen of those seconds. All six trials were videotaped. Results: Use of the mirror elicited a higher RMS average EMG (23.5% of the normalized contraction) than the camera (22.3%). However, these differences were not statistically significant (paired t-test; p=0.397). Conclusions: Although EMG results were not significant, observation of the video footage indicated that the subjects' necks were more flexed while using the mirror to perform the task than with the intra-oral camera. Future studies may benefit from quantifying these differences using methods such as electrogoniometry, EMG of other muscles, and biomechanical analysis of video footage. | ||
| Seq #127 - Dental Care Providers 3:45 PM-5:00 PM, Thursday, 7 March 2002 San Diego Convention Center Exhibit Hall C | ||
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