Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) in Turkish Dentists- 3 Cases

Abstract

Introduction: Dentists are susceptible to MSDs as a result of prolonged static postures and musculoskeletal loading during dental practices for the accuracy required. MSDs are very common among dentists (~60%-90%) and it’s an umbrella term for different types of injuries and these can lead to long-term disability which can cause a significant negative overall impact on dentists’ daily life. We present three dentists with different MSDs. Case 1: 42 year-old woman was admitted to our occupational medicine outpatient clinic with neck, left arm and back pain. She worked as a dentist for 18 years. In her cervical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), there was diffuse bulging, paracentral protrusion and spinal cord compression. She was diagnosed as cervical discopathy and spinal cord compression.  Case 2: 50 year-old man was admitted to our occupational medicine outpatient clinic with pain at his neck, shoulder, back and leg.  He worked as a dentist for 25 years. At his shoulder MRI, there was edema, inflammation and incomplete rupture at his right biceps and supraspinatus tendons. He was diagnosed as right biceps and supraspinatus tendon partial rupture. Case 3: 48 year-old woman was admitted to our occupational medicine outpatient clinic with pain at her both hands, wrists and back. She worked as a dentist for 24 years. At her cervical and lumbar MRIs, there was diffuse bulging and compression at several levels of neural foramens. She was diagnosed as cervical and lumbar discopathy. Conclusion: MSDs are important health problems for dentists that have great impact on their quality of life. Application of ergonomic principles will help to reduce stress and eliminate many potential injuries and disorders associated with the overuse of muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks. In Turkey, we need such an education and ergonomic improvement program for dentists.   Key Words: Musculoskeletal Disorders, Dentist, Cervical Discopathy