Objective: Since the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, aerosol control in the operatory has become a key safety issue in dentistry. The utilisation of extraoral scavenger devices (EOSs) is one of the various approaches to in-treatment aerosol reduction in dentistry. The use and efficacy of EOSs in dental settings, however, are still a matter of debate in the literature and there are still open questions about their proper use. Thus, research into this area is essential to inform dental practice. The objective of this study was to examine the aerosol reduction efficacy of two different EOS in vitro.
Methods: Two commercially available EOSs were tested during modeled dental treatment in a setup that previously proved to generate high aerosol load. Measurements were done in two particle size ranges: 5.6-560 nm (the full range of the spectrometer) and 60.4-392.4 nm (a range that is especially relevant to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 with aerosol).
Results: Both devices managed to reduce the aerosol load to a statistically significant extent as compared to the scenario when only a high-volume evacuator and a saliva ejector (and no EOS) were used.
Conclusions: Within the limitations of the study, the results support the assumption that EOSs for aerosol reduction increase in-treatment safety in the dental operatory.
Keywords: Aerosol; Dentistry; Extraoral scavenger device; Occupational safety; Patient safety; Spectrometry.
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