Posturedontics: Reducing the stress in dentistry

Abstract

In the dental profession, dentists and dental hygienists spend their work days in an awkward, static position performing extremely precise procedures in a 2" × 21/2" workspace - the patient's mouth. However, maintaining the steady hand and posture comes at a cost to the back, neck and shoulder area of the dentist. The occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in oral health care professionals has been documented over the past 10 years. A WMSD can be defined as a condition wherein work-related tasks affect the nerves, tendons, muscles and supporting structures. Conditions can vary from mild recurrent symptoms to severe and incapacitating. This article discussed about the prevalence of occurrence on musculoskeletal disorders in dental personae and its prevention.