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Effectiveness of a Chairside Acrylic Adjustment Cabinet in Reducing Dental Acrylic Debris and Aerosols

Now online in the Journal of Prosthodontics, a report co-authored by ACP members, Akanksha Srivastava, Michael R. Andersen, Abdulkareem M. Alshehri, Bryan Lara, and Rafiullah Bashiri.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a chairside acrylic adjustment cabinet (CAAC) in reducing airborne aerosol particles and visible acrylic debris, time required for airborne aerosols to return to baseline levels after an acrylic adjustment procedure, and the effect on operatory turnover time.

Prosthesis adjustments in the dental operatory produce acrylic particle debris contaminated by saliva, blood, and microbiota, which can be harmful to the provider, assistants, patients, and patients’ attendees. Effective containment and evacuation of this particle debris continues to be a challenge in dental operatories.

For this experiment, a total of 40 acrylic adjustment procedures were carried out in a simulated setting with (experiment) and without (control) a CAAC. Airborne aerosol measurements were done using a handheld Laser Particle Counter. Spread of aerosols was assessed at three distinct locations within the dental operatory, while visible acrylic debris and operatory turnover time were evaluated immediately post adjustments by a blinded investigator.

The results reveal that utilizing a CAAC for containment of acrylic debris during prosthesis adjustment procedures improves patient, provider, and guest safety by: (a) decreasing aerosols and visible acrylic particle debris, and (b) reducing the time for air-borne aerosols to return to baseline levels.

Srivastava A, Andersen MR, Alshehri AM, et al: Effectiveness of a chairside acrylic adjustment cabinet in reducing dental acrylic debris and aerosols. J Prosthodont 2022; https://doi.org/10.1111/jopr.13463

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