There is a high prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome among dental practitioners. Periodontal procedures, such as scaling and root-planing, practiced by both dentists and dental hygienists, are among the high-risk tasks. Currently, non-powered hand instruments are still important in performing these tasks. It is crucial to design ergonomic hand instruments to reduce operator muscle load during dental scaling. Studies on endodontic instrument handle designs indicate instrument handles have strong effects on operator performance and muscle stress. Since scaling and root planing require a high level of sustained pinch force to control the instrument and to prevent twisting torque, studies on periodontal instrument handle designs may provide useful knowledge on how to reduce the muscle efforts required to perform dental hygiene tasks. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate handle surface textures of non-powered dental curettes during simulated scaling tasks, by measurement of the pinch force and muscle activity, and evaluation of the subject performance. Methods: Twenty-four volunteers are recruited from the faculty and residents at the University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry to participate in the study. Five different surface textures are tested. During instrument use, muscle activity and thumb pinch force are recorded. RMANOVA methods are used to compare the effects of different handle designs on the muscle activities and thumb pinch force. Results: Instrument handle surface textures affect the operator's muscle stress. Conclusions: More efforts should be devoted to designing dental instruments that reduce muscle stress of dental professionals.

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Back to the IADR/AADR/CADR 82nd General Session (March 10-13, 2004)

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