Aerosol Particle Concentration in Dental Surgery

Abstract

Verification of a simple technique for monitoring of aerosol particles in dental surgery as well as determination of particle concentrations and size distribution were performed. It was found that the main source of aerosol particles in the surgery hours is teeth drilling, grinding and resuspension of particles in cleaning the surgery. The particle concentration increased 1.5 times during the surgery and the total particle concentrations during surgery hours were by 30 % higher compared with the background values. The concentration increase was pronounced in all particle size fractions, the largest for particles < 1 μm. Comparing the results of mass and number concentrations of submicron fraction, it was found out that the individual surgery is capable of producing particles < 0.375 μm.