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Safety in the Dental Laboratory . Purpose. To help students understand the proper use of instruments and materials that are commonly used in the dental lab. To prevent accidents caused by neglect, improper usage of materials and equipment, and unfamiliarity To prevent harm to equipment.
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Purpose • To help students understand the proper use of instruments and materials that are commonly used in the dental lab. • To prevent accidents caused by neglect, improper usage of materials and equipment, and unfamiliarity • To prevent harm to equipment. • To prevent injury to the student and others. That you may develop a“healthy philosophy” toward complete denture care.
If these goals are to be met, it is imperative that the students show up on time for the classes and labs and stay until they complete their projects. If a student does not meet these criteria, that student will have trouble working with a complete denture patient in the clinic. Lab instructors will not step in and do all the work for you. If you are not prepared, you may fall behind the rest of your classmates.
Laboratory Safety Rules CAUTION: Improper lathe technique can cause personal injury and damage the prosthesis.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Do not wear plastic gloves when operating a lathe or polishing wheel. The machinery can grab the glove and rip it off and the chance of injury is very high.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Use the lathes and polishing wheels on low speed.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Use the central vacuum system and wear a mask when grinding gypsum products.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab When using the lathe, model trimmer, or polishing wheels, brace your hands so that they cannot be pulled into the work area. Also use the safety shields when provided.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Maintain a clutter-free work area. Materials, instruments, etc. may get lost or broken or may cause injury if the work site is not kept orderly and clean.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Insert saw blades in the saw frame so that it cuts on the pull stroke rather than the push stroke. A push stroke can cause torque on the saw blade, causing it to flex so that it breaks, injuring you and/or destroying your work.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Keep long hair up or underneath a scarf or inside your lab coat.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Always wear protective wear (safety glasses, masks, lab coat, etc.).(You can be barred from the lab.)
These safety glasses don’t do much good where they are located. This was not a staged photo. The student was unaware that the picture was being taken.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Don’t use your red-handled knife to trim plaster or stone.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab When not using sharp instruments it is better to keep them covered. A handy sheath can be made from your excess lab putty.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Do not have flammable liquids near a flame. Make sure the wick is covered before filling the Hanau torch.
This is what happens when the wick is not covered before filling the Hanau torch. The student compounded things further by throwing the torch into a wastebasket. Note the burned out liner of the basket.
Note also the scorched clinical smock and the burned off top of the alcohol bottle. This could all have been avoided if the student had used a little common sense.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Using a pneumatic chisel to remove any remaining stone residue is a common practice by experienced lab technicians, but be careful…it is easy to break or mar the denture or injure a hand.
Observe Safety Rules in the Lab Removing positive bubbles with a chisel or other sharp instruments is also a common practice by experienced lab technicians. A denture should be placed against a bench top or a rubber bumper and a push stroke is used in a direction away from your hand. Improper usage can leave a very nasty wound.
Injuries that have occurred in dental labs • Broken glasses. • Cuts, some requiring stitches. • Broken arms and fingers. • Severe burns. • Large patches of scalp removed by a lathe. • Injuries caused by explosions. • Broken teeth. • Loss of an eye. (Note: Most of these happened to experienced laboratory technicians. What do you think your chances are?)
