Occupational hazards in orthodontics

 The purpose of this article was to review the occupational hazards related to the practice of orthodontics, including all the risks involved. The classification of hazards was based on major sources of risks by system or tissue and by orthodontic office area. Potentially hazardous factors in general practice setting are to specific materials and tools that expose the operator to vision and auditory risks; to chemical substances with known allergenic, toxic, or irritating actions; to increased microbial counts and silica particles of the aerosols produced during debonding; and to psychological stress with proven undesirable sequelae. The identification and elimination of these risk factors should be incorporated into a standard practice management program as an integral part of orthodontic education.