title: Motion analysis in the field of dentistry: a kinematic comparison of dentists and orthodontists.
abstract: To conduct a kinematic comparison of occupational posture in orthodontists and dentists in their workplace.
  
  
  
  Observational study.
  
  
  
  Dentist surgeries and departments of orthodontics at university medical centres in Germany.
  
  
  
  A representative sample of 21 (10 female, 11 male) dentists (group G1) and 21 (13 female, 8 male) orthodontists (G2) with one male dropout in G2.
  
  
  
  The CUELA (computer-assisted acquisition and long-term analysis of musculoskeletal loads) system was used to analyse occupational posture. Parallel to the recording through the CUELA system, a software-supported analysis of the activities performed (I: treatment; II: office; III: other activities) was carried out. In line with ergonomic standards the measured body angles are categorised into neutral, moderate and awkward postures. Activities between the aforementioned groups are compared using the stratified van Elteren U test and the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U test. All p values are subject to the Bonferroni-Holm correction. The level of significance is set at 5%.
  
  
  
  The percentage of time spent on activities in categories I-II-III was as follows: dentists 41%-23%-36% and orthodontists 28%-37%-35%. The posture analysis of both groups showed, for all percentiles (P5-95), angle values primarily in the neutral or moderate range. However, depending on the activity performed, between 5% and 25% of working hours were spent in unfavourable postures, especially in the head-and-neck area. Orthodontists have a greater tendency than dentists to perform treatment activities with the head and torso in unfavourable positions. The statistically significant differences between the two groups with regard to the duration and the relevance of the activities performed confirm this assumption for all three categories (p<0.01, p<0.05).
  
  
  
  Generally, both groups perform treatment activities in postures that are in the neutral or medium range; however, dentists had slightly more unfavourable postures during treatment for a greater share of their work day.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Erbe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hauck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Groneberg
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (IFA) of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Sankt Augustin, Germany.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hermanns
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (IFA) of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Sankt Augustin, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ellegast
authors.affiliation: Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (IFA) of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Sankt Augustin, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ditchen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ohlendorf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003815:Dentists; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D000066792:Orthodontists; D011187:Posture
keywords: CUELA; Kinematic posture analysis; dentist; orthodontist