齒顎矯正治療中使用手套操作之回顧

Infection control in dental practice has been upgraded since the occurrence of hepatitis B cross-infection and the AIDS epidemic in the late 20th century. Using gloves as a barrier technique has also become essential for prevention of cross-infection during dental procedures. However, the rate of glove use by orthodontists in clinical practice has always been lower than that of general dental practitioners due to the noninvasiveness of orthodontic treatment and the necessity of performing complicated wire bending. In this review article, we describe and summarize the associated literature about using gloves in orthodontic practice. The contents of this article include a history of medical glove development, the effect of hepatitis and AIDS on using gloves in dental practice, the rate of using gloves by general dental practitioners and orthodontists, the effect of gloves on orthodontic practices, the selection of glove material and size, and the prevention of hypersensitivity and sharp injury during use of gloves in orthodontic practice. The effects of using gloves on hand dexterity and operation efficiency in orthodontic practice can be reduced through constant practice with the use of gloves. In order to promote the use of gloves in orthodontic practice, we have provided more information about the use of gloves, barrier techniques, and infection control.