| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2019 | Volume
: 5
| Issue : 1 | Page : 11-16 |
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Sound levels in conservative dentistry and endodontics clinic
Sumita Bhagwat, Pradnya Hirlekar, Leena Padhye
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, DYPU School of Dentistry, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Sumita Bhagwat
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, DYPU School of Dentistry, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ijohr.ijohr_6_19
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Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sound levels generated in dental clinics of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics. Materials and Methods: A decibel-meter with digital readout was used to measure sound levels at different intervals at chairside and center of preclinical laboratory and undergraduate and postgraduate clinics. At chairside, recordings were made with the meter held near the operator's ear when only suction was being used, with the slow speed micromotor handpiece and while suction was used alongside the air rotor handpiece. The recordings at the center of the clinic were made with at least five operators working. Minimum and maximum readings during a 3 min interval were recorded. Results: The tabulated readings were statistically analysed by ANOVA and Tukey HSD comparison test. Conclusion: The authors concluded that the mean sound levels in the working clinics ranged from 54 dB[A] to 83.3 dB[A]. These were within the recommended range for dental equipment. With suction and high speed handpiece combination, the Postgraduate clinic was significantly noisier than the Undergraduate clinic at several time periods. Sound level measurements reported here raise some concerns for dentists' hearing health. The use of suction with and without accompanying handpiece use can produce noise sufficient to damage the user's hearing.
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