Level of Silica in the Respirable Dust Inhaled by Dental Technicians with Demonstration of Respirable Symptoms.

Abstract

Dental technicians are exposed to various dusts in working laboratories. This study was conducted to measure level of silica in the respirable dust generated from dental fixed prosthodontics manufacturing processes using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and to compare their occurrence of respiratory symptoms with that of non-dental hospital workers (control group). Respirable dusts were personally sampled from dental technicians working at dental laboratories in Seoul Korea according to NIOSH Method 0600. Fifty personal samples were obtained during porcelain or polishing process and weighed by a gravimetric method. 3 highest for the porcelain and polishing process, respectively. Level of silica contents in the dust was 0.81% and 1.66% for the porcelain and polishing process, respectively. The level of silica contents and silica concentration were significantly different between the two processes. Comparing prevalence of respiratory symptoms between non-smoking seventeen dental technicians and thirty-five control workers, wheezing and rhinorrhea were significantly more manifested in the dental technicians than the controls. Total frequency of respiratory symptoms was also significantly higher in the dental technicians than the controls.

Pneumoconiosis and respiratory problems in dental laboratory technicians: Analysis of 893 dental technicians

“…To the best of our knowledge, the present study had the largest case series reported in dental technicians and evaluated the risk factors through the comparison of the characteristics of the cases with (N = 90) and without (N = 803) DTP. The level of inhalable dust and the concentration of the substances in the dusts show variation among working fields [27]. Therefore, departments in which dental technicians have been working indicate the level of exposure.…”

Levels of crystalline silica dust in dental laboratorium of Dental Health Technology Study Program of Vocational Faculty, Universitas Airlangga

“…Materials contained in dental ceramics are kaolin and feldspar (K2O-Al2O3.SiO2) on build-up, polishing and finishing processes, which can be a source of spread of silica dust in room. 9 Similarly, Figure 1 depicts how silica spread at all points 1, 2 and 3 in the dental laboratory spaces I and II.…”

Dental technician pneumoconiosis mimicking lung cancer

“…Silica exposure may occur during casting, crushing, sanding, porcelain grinding, and polishing in dental laboratories. In a study examining dental laboratories, the concentration of respirable silica dust in the polishing section was double that in the porcelain section, and respiratory symptoms were significantly more frequent in dental technicians than in controls (2).…”

“…Pneumoconiosis can develop in dental technicians exposed to metal dust and silica particles in the laboratory (1)(2)(3). Dental technician pneumoconiosis (DTP) is a formerly unknown disorder among technicians and may manifest with sputum and dyspnea symptoms, parenchymal opacities, and decreased respiratory function (4)(5)(6).…”