title: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in dentists and orthodontists: a review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD's) are on the rise worldwide. These disorders have numerous repercussions, from serious ill-health effects at the individual level to decreased workplace efficiency and productivity affecting not only quality of life but the economy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This review aims to provide an overview of WMSD's in the dental profession, more specifically, among general dental practitioners and specialist orthodontists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature was hand searched from Pubmed with greater emphasis on contemporary literature as the professionals demands have evolved over the years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While there have been numerous papers published relating to the prevalence of ergonomic problems among general dentists, orthodontists have received little investigation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review highlights the need for research into the risk factors of WMSD's in the dental profession (both general dentistry and orthodontics), as this would provide a more direct approach for prevention which is essential as professionals work for longer years in practice.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sakzewski
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Shazia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naser-ud-Din
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003815:Dentists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016272:Occupational Health; D009970:Orthodontics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment
keywords: Occupation; dentistry; ergonomics; orthodontics; pain