J Am Dent Assoc. 2021 Feb;152(2):157-165. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2020.10.010.
Aerosol and droplet production is inherent to dentistry. Potential for COVID-19 spread through aerosols and droplets characterizes dentistry as having a high risk of experiencing viral transmission, with necessity for aerosol and droplet mitigation.
Simulations of restorative treatment were completed on a dental manikin with a high-speed handpiece and high-volume evacuation suction. Variable experimental conditions with use of an extraoral vacuum suction at different distances from the simulated patient's mouth and different vacuum settings were tested to evaluate extraoral suction ability for droplet reduction.
Using the extraoral suction unit during dental procedure simulations reduced droplet spatter at the dentist's eye level, as well as the level of the simulated patient's mouth. When the extraoral suction unit was used at level 10 and 4 inches from the simulated patient's mouth, less spatter was detected.
Extraoral suction units are an effective method of reducing droplet spatter during operative dental procedures and can be useful in helping reduce risk of experiencing COVID-19 spread during dental procedures.
During the pandemic, dentistry and its aerosol-generating procedures were placed on hold. The process to getting back to patient care is multifactorial, including personal protective equipment, patient screening, and mitigating aerosol spread.
气溶胶和液滴的产生是牙科固有的。通过气溶胶和液滴传播 COVID-19 的可能性使牙科具有经历病毒传播的高风险，因此需要减轻气溶胶和液滴的传播。
使用高速手机和大流量抽吸在牙科模型上完成修复治疗的模拟。测试了使用口腔外抽吸在距离模拟患者口腔不同距离和不同抽吸设置下的不同实验条件，以评估口腔外抽吸减少液滴的能力。
在牙科手术模拟过程中使用口腔外抽吸装置降低了牙医眼睛水平和模拟患者口腔水平的飞沫飞溅。当口腔外抽吸装置在距离模拟患者口腔 10 英寸和 4 英寸的位置使用时，检测到的飞溅物较少。
口腔外抽吸装置是减少手术牙科操作中飞沫飞溅的有效方法，有助于降低在牙科操作中感染 COVID-19 的风险。
在大流行期间，牙科及其产生气溶胶的程序被搁置。恢复患者护理的过程是多方面的，包括个人防护设备、患者筛查和减轻气溶胶传播。
