Musculoskeletal risk of first-year postgraduate endodontic students using dental microscope, ergonomic loupes or no magnification.

Aim: To assess the postural risk adopted by postgraduate endodontic students during endodontic procedures using different magnification tools and, secondarily, to evaluate the presence of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSDs) in these students.

Methodology: The present study has a repeated measures design that included 10 endodontic postgraduate students. Data on musculoskeletal symptoms were collected using a modified Standardized Musculoskeletal Symptom Perception Questionnaire. Working postures adopted during endodontic access until canal localization were recorded from three angles. Each student used no magnification, ergonomic loupes and the microscope in three different patients in random order. Selected still frames were assessed using rapid upper limb assessment (RULA). Survey data were presented with descriptive statistics, and the RULA scores were analysed using the Friedman test.

Results: All participants experienced pain in at least one body region within the past 12 months, with upper back pain being the most frequently reported, followed by pain in the neck and lower back. A statistically significant decrease (p < .001) in postural risk was observed when using magnification compared to no magnification. No difference was observed between the loupes and microscope groups (p = .786). However, no magnification was statistically different from loupes (p < .001) and microscopes (p < .001).

Conclusion: The risk of MSDs was higher when no magnification was used than when using ergonomic loupes and the microscope. All the postgraduate endodontic students assessed reported MSD symptoms in the back and other body regions.