Objectives

To assess the attitude and practices of dentists and dental assistants in managing dust particles generated during dental prostheses or appliances grinding and polishing.

Materials and methods

Data were collected from 207 dentists and 125 dental assistants through an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included adjusted prosthesis types, self-protective methods, types and frequency of protective device use, and reasons for non-frequent use.

Results

Protective grinding devices, including dust protective boxes and mounted plastic sheets, were commonly used for substantial acrylic resin adjustments, while air blowing was preferred for minor adjustments. Post-COVID-19, there was a 3-fold increase in the use of protective grinding devices among dentists and a 1.3-fold increase among dental assistants. During try-in procedures, dentists commonly rinsed prostheses with water rather than using disinfectants. Non-frequent users adopted self-protection methods, such as face shields and air filters. Surgical drapes and high-volume evacuators were used for patient’s protection.

Conclusion

Despite an increased tendency of the use of protective grinding devices following COVID-19, a significant number still report infrequent use. Identified protective devices in this study have drawbacks not fully meeting dentists’ expectations. Invention of a more user-friendly device is necessary to ensure regular use, preventing potential toxicity from dust particles.

中文翻译：

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控制假牙和矫治器调整粉尘颗粒的态度和表现：对牙医和牙科助理的调查

目标

评估牙医和牙科助理在管理假牙或器具研磨和抛光过程中产生的灰尘颗粒方面的态度和做法。

材料和方法

通过在线调查问卷收集了 207 名牙医和 125 名牙医助理的数据。调查问卷内容包括调整后的假肢类型、自我防护方法、防护用品使用类型和频率、不经常使用的原因。

结果

丙烯酸树脂的大幅调整通常使用防尘盒和安装塑料片等保护性研磨装置，而较小的调整则首选吹气。新冠肺炎 (COVID-19) 疫情之后，牙医使用防护性研磨装置的数量增加了 3 倍，牙科助理的使用量增加了 1.3 倍。在试戴过程中，牙医通常用水冲洗假肢，而不是使用消毒剂。不经常使用的人采取了自我保护措施，例如面罩和空气过滤器。使用手术单和大容量抽吸器来保护患者。

结论

尽管在新冠肺炎 (COVID-19) 疫情之后，防护性研磨设备的使用趋势有所增加，但仍有相当多的人表示不经常使用。本研究中确定的保护装置存在缺陷，无法完全满足牙医的期望。有必要发明一种更加用户友好的设备，以确保定期使用，防止灰尘颗粒的潜在毒性。