Introduction: Dental laboratory employees face different threats that have a negative impact on their health. In addition to chemical substances, used and released during work processes in the dental laboratory, unsatisfactory work conditions and incorrect protection of dental laboratory employees also pose a risk. During their working time, the employees are mostly subject to chemical, physical, ergonomic, biological and psychosocial threats. Aim: The aim of the paper is to overview different threats faced daily by dental laboratory employees and describe the diseases that can be caused by such threats. Our goal is to determine whether dental laboratory employees are aware of the risks they are subject to daily and the consequences of incorrect use of certain substances. Work methods: In the theoretical part of the paper, the descriptive work method is used. The main source of information is specialised literature published in specialised and scientific journals and books. The literature was obtained using libraries and databases, such as Cobiss, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and ReasearchGate. The causal non-experimental method was also used. In the empirical part of the paper, we made a Co-Cr alloy bridge from steel and porcelain. We tried to avoid or reduce the threats that can arise in the manufacturing process using appropriate protective means and the CAD/CAM technology. Results: In the research, we determined that most of the dental laboratory employees pay too little attention to biological threats, especially those connected to the preventive use of protective gloves in using a pumice stone and in cleaning their uniform at home, which can lead to cross-contamination. Moreover, only a small number of dental laboratories clean and disinfect work surfaces daily, which is of key importance in preventing the transmission of microorganisms. Discussion and conclusion: Dental laboratory employees daily face a wide spectrum of potential threats and are thus more prone to different occupational diseases and injuries. Preventive measures, such as the use of protective means and trainings in the field of occupational safety, are essential as they ensure safe working conditions in dental laboratories.
|