Dentist Position and Moistural Control
The ideal posture of a dentist gives him on the one hand, optimal working conditions (access, visibility and control in the mouth) and on the other hand, physical and psychological comfort throughout the execution of the clinical acts.The Advantages of Correct Posture: Maximum comfort and visibility with minimum distortion of back and neck. Provides the dentist more working energy. Reduce the stress level. Muscle strain and tension or pain will be avoided and maximal accessibility of the area of work can be achieved.
The Advantages of Correct Posture: 5. Lower the risk for therapeutically errors. 6. The correct posture provide straight back and respect the body symmetry, and this will avoid the back to be in a "C" shape.
The Disadvantage of Incorrect Posture:Induces premature fatigue, pain, and stress of the dentist and negative attitude to work.High-risk for musculoskeletal disorders (the excessive bending of the dentist’s head and the extent of neck, the over rotation and the tilting of the dentist head, tilting and the rotation of the trunk on one side).Diminishes dentist effectiveness and poor quality of work.
Consideration in the Adjustment of Dentist Position: Always adjust your operator stool first to support a balanced working posture. The dentist's back is supported, feet flat on the floor, and the top of the thighs parallel with the floor. The operator backrest must adjust not only up and down, but tilt toward and away from the operator.
4. After properly positioning the patient and equipment, determine which clock position gives you a line of sight that is perpendicular to the working surface (direct or indirect vision) and preserves your optimal working posture. 5. Ask the patient to turn his or her head for easy access.
6. The correct dentist positions when treating the patient are: 7 o’clock, 9 o’clock, 10 to 11 o’clock or 12 o’clock positions when right handed, or 5 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 2 to 10 o’ clock or 12 o’ clock positions when left-handed.7. The 12 o'clock position enables the most neutral operator posture, especially of the arms, and should be made easily accessible in the operatory.
8. If need move the patient chair since proper patient chair and headrest adjustment enable access at 12 o'clock. 9. With all positions, indirect vision using the mirror is an important consideration to maintain neutral or correct postures.
Advantages of Moisture Control Remove the fluids from the patient mouth for patient comfort and dentist vision. Reduce salivary contamination. Infection control. Reduce the detrimental effect of saliva on all filling material. Protect the pulp during pulp capping and other endodontic procedure.
Techniques for Moisture Control Aspiration ( saliva ejector). Cotton-wool rolls (absorb saliva, retraction the cheeks, lips, and tongue). Cellulose pads retractor used in the buccal sulcus. Rubber dam (method which give the most complete control over moisture in the mouth). The tooth to be treated placed on one side and the whole mouth on the other side.
Advantages of Rubber Dam: Complete isolation from saliva, blood, gingival fluid. Protection from bacteria in saliva especially in pulp capping and endo. Treatments. Protect the patient from swallowing or inhaling instruments ( pins, fractured burs, amalgam piece, wedges, crown, inlay, endo. Inst.). Protect the dentist from infection from the patient (HB). No lip, tongue, cheek retraction.
Disadvantages of Rubber Dam: Patient can no longer speak easily. Few patient feeling discomfort with rubber dam. The tooth on which the clamp has been fitted may be sensitive for some hours after clamp removal. Time consuming.