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Neuropathy in female dental personnel exposed to high frequency vibrations

Åkesson, Ingrid LU ; Lundborg, Göran LU ; Horstmann, Vibeke LU and Skerfving, Staffan LU (1995) In Occupational and Environmental Medicine 52(2). p.116-123
Abstract
Objective-To evaluate early neuropathy in dental personnel exposed to high frequency vibrations.

Methods-30 dentists and 30 dental hygienists who used low and high speed hand pieces and ultrasonic scalers were studied, and 30 dental assistants and 30 medical nurses not exposed to vibration (all women). Vibrotactile sensibility, strength, motor performance, sensorineural symptoms and signs, and vascular symptoms in the hands, as well as mercury concentrations in biological samples and cervicobrachial symptoms, were studied.

Results-The two groups exposed to vibration had significant impairments of vibrotactile sensibility, strength, and motor performance, as well as more frequent sensorineural symptoms. In the

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Objective-To evaluate early neuropathy in dental personnel exposed to high frequency vibrations.

Methods-30 dentists and 30 dental hygienists who used low and high speed hand pieces and ultrasonic scalers were studied, and 30 dental assistants and 30 medical nurses not exposed to vibration (all women). Vibrotactile sensibility, strength, motor performance, sensorineural symptoms and signs, and vascular symptoms in the hands, as well as mercury concentrations in biological samples and cervicobrachial symptoms, were studied.

Results-The two groups exposed to vibration had significant impairments of vibrotactile sensibility, strength, and motor performance, as well as more frequent sensorineural symptoms. In the

dentists there were significant associations between the vibrotactile sensibility and strength, motor performance, superficial sensibility, and sensorineural symptoms. There were no associations between these findings and cervicobrachial symptoms, mercury concentrations, or smoking. There was no increase of vascular symptoms of the hands in the groups exposed to vibration.

Conclusion-Dental hygienists and dentists had a slight neuropathy, which may be associated with their exposure to high frequency vibrations, and which may be detrimental to their work performance.

Thus, development of safer equipment is urgent. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
vibrations, dentists, sensory and motor function
in
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
volume
52
issue
2
pages
116 - 123
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:0028896235
ISSN
1470-7926
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Division of Occupational Therapy (Closed 2012) (013025000), Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (013078001), Hand Surgery Research Group (013241910)
id
8535d5cb-e8e7-493c-8538-d1b295847a20 (old id 3294660)
alternative location
http://oem.bmj.com/content/52/2/116.short
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1128165/
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 13:59:21
date last changed
2021-07-18 04:54:00
@article{8535d5cb-e8e7-493c-8538-d1b295847a20,
  abstract     = {{Objective-To evaluate early neuropathy in dental personnel exposed to high frequency vibrations.<br/><br>
Methods-30 dentists and 30 dental hygienists who used low and high speed hand pieces and ultrasonic scalers were studied, and 30 dental assistants and 30 medical nurses not exposed to vibration (all women). Vibrotactile sensibility, strength, motor performance, sensorineural symptoms and signs, and vascular symptoms in the hands, as well as mercury concentrations in biological samples and cervicobrachial symptoms, were studied.<br/><br>
Results-The two groups exposed to vibration had significant impairments of vibrotactile sensibility, strength, and motor performance, as well as more frequent sensorineural symptoms. In the<br/><br>
dentists there were significant associations between the vibrotactile sensibility and strength, motor performance, superficial sensibility, and sensorineural symptoms. There were no associations between these findings and cervicobrachial symptoms, mercury concentrations, or smoking. There was no increase of vascular symptoms of the hands in the groups exposed to vibration. <br/><br>
Conclusion-Dental hygienists and dentists had a slight neuropathy, which may be associated with their exposure to high frequency vibrations, and which may be detrimental to their work performance.<br/><br>
Thus, development of safer equipment is urgent.}},
  author       = {{Åkesson, Ingrid and Lundborg, Göran and Horstmann, Vibeke and Skerfving, Staffan}},
  issn         = {{1470-7926}},
  keywords     = {{vibrations; dentists; sensory and motor function}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{116--123}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Occupational and Environmental Medicine}},
  title        = {{Neuropathy in female dental personnel exposed to high frequency vibrations}},
  url          = {{http://oem.bmj.com/content/52/2/116.short}},
  volume       = {{52}},
  year         = {{1995}},
}