Effects of Dental Glove Materials on Mitigation of Vibration Exposures in Dentistry

Background and Objectives: Exposure to vibrating hand-held tools among dental professionals can cause Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) with multiple vascular and neuromuscular symptoms including finger-related and other upper limb symptoms and a high prevalence of osteoarthritis in the distal interphalangeal joints. However, adequate information on exposure reduction strategies is currently unavailable. This study's purpose is to compare the effects of various commonly used materials in current dental gloves, including generic vs. name brand, on vibration dampening for the purpose of informing dental personnel and employers which type of gloves may offer the most protection from vibration injuries.
Methods: We investigated transfer of vibrations from a high speed dental handpiece through various types of dental gloves and compared name brand gloves with generic gloves of the same material in a controlled laboratory setting using the HVM 200 Human Vibration Meter. Each dentist did tooth reduction for thirty seconds each simulating a filling and a crown preparation, respectively while repeating the measurements on the palm and forearm using a bare hand (control), vinyl, nitrile, and latex gloves in name brand and generic for a combination of fourteen unique measurements.
Results: We hypothesized, the least vibration amplitude would be with latex gloves. However, the control showed the least vibration in initial data collection. Further analysis may confirm our hypothesis and reveal which gloves have the most dampening effects even if the control continues to show the least vibration. The results will be reported in the findings of the study.
Conclusion: It will be important for employers to know which glove has the greatest dampening effect because operating with bare hands is not optional.