Aerosol and droplet production are inherent to dental procedures, and thus, dental professionals face a heightened risk of viral transmission, particularly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This article evaluates the effectiveness of extraoral suction units (ESUs) in reducing droplet spatter, a key route for pathogen transmission in dental settings. The study was conducted using simulations of restorative dental procedures on a dental manikin, assessing the impact of various ESU settings on the reduction of droplet spatter.
The results indicated that the use of an ESU significantly reduced the amount of droplet spatter at both the dentist’s eye level and the simulated patient’s mouth level. The best performance was achieved when the suction unit was set to maximum airflow (level 10) and placed 4 inches from the patient’s mouth. At this setting, droplet spatter was reduced by up to 60% compared to simulations without the ESU. These findings suggest that ESUs can effectively reduce the risk of pathogen exposure by capturing airborne droplets during dental procedures, thus lowering the likelihood of transmission via droplet and aerosol inhalation.
However, the study also emphasizes that while ESUs reduced spatter significantly, they did not completely eliminate the risk. Therefore, additional safety measures such as personal protective equipment (PPE), patient screening, and infection control protocols remain essential. The use of ESUs offers an additional layer of protection for dental professionals during high-risk procedures, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Relevance to Dentsafe: Our Dentsafe product aligns with the need for enhanced protection in dental practices, as it integrates innovative negative ion and nano-filter technology to eliminate microbial pathogens from airborne droplets, similar to the ESU’s function in reducing droplet spatter. Dentsafe creates a protective shield around the clinician’s head, acting as a physical barrier against airborne droplets, and as highlighted in the article, it plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of pathogen transmission.
While the ESU reduces droplet spatter, Dentsafe goes further by providing both pathogen elimination and ergonomic comfort. It seamlessly integrates into existing dental equipment, providing enhanced protection with minimal installation costs. This makes Dentsafe an ideal solution to complement existing technologies like ESUs in enhancing safety and comfort for dental professionals.
In conclusion, Dentsafe offers a comprehensive solution to improve safety in dental practices, complementing other protective measures such as ESUs, and providing an effective step toward safer dental procedures, especially in the post-COVID-19 era.
The reference for the article is:
Chavis, S. E., Hines, S. E., Dyalram, D., Wilken, N. C., & Dalby, R. N. (2021). Can extraoral suction units minimize droplet spatter during a simulated dental procedure? Journal of the American Dental Association, 152(2), 157-165.
https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(20)30762-5/abstract
