Table 1 Innovative risk-scoring system for 42 common dental procedures: the italics column refers to the lowest risk (score 1–3), underline relates to the intermediate (score 4–5), and Italicunderline indicates the highest risk (score ≥ 6)
From: An innovative risk-scoring system of dental procedures and safety protocols in the COVID-19 era
Procedure | Dental specialty | Contact with saliva | Contact with blood | Use of air–water syringe (spray/aerosol production) | Use of rotating tools, ultrasonic scaler, piezo tools (spray/aerosol production) | Duration of procedure (minutes) | Grade of risk | Risk-level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Checks in Restraint or Post-Restraint | Orthodontics | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 1.5 | Low |
Dental structure tests | Prosthodontics | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Manual reduction of dislocation of the jaw | Gnathology | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Mobile/fixed orthodontic appliance positioning | Orthodontics | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.75 (≥ 60 min) | 1.75 | Low |
Non-invasive methods (e.g. autofluorescence, blue toluidine) | Oral medicine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Oral rinse | Oral medicine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Oral swab | Oral medicine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Photo-biostimulation (Laser…) | Oral medicine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Radiographic examination | Diagnosis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Topical periodontal therapy | Periodontics | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Topical treatment of dental hypersensitivity and caries prophylaxis | Hygiene and prevention | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Test of night guard/bite | Gnathology | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Dental impression | Diagnosis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 1.25 | Low |
Prosthetic tests, positioning and adaptation (temporary/definitive, removable/fixed) | Prosthodontics | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 1.5 | Low |
Biopsy | Surgery | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 3.25 | Low |
Bone graft (autogenous/biocompatible material) without rotating tools | Surgery | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.75 (≥ 60 min) | 3.75 | Low |
Cytological sampling | Oral medicine | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 3.25 | Low |
Mucogingival surgery (quadrant) | Periodontics | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 3.5 | Low |
Open curettage without rotating tools (quadrant) | Periodontics | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 3.5 | Low |
Removal of cysts or small benign neoplasms | Surgery | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 3.5 | Low |
Surgical medication | Surgery | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 3.25 | Low |
Oral minor surgery (e.g. abscess incision, frenulectomy, frenulotomy) | Surgery | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 3.25 | Low |
Salivary stone removal | Surgery | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 3.25 | Low |
Extraction without rotating tools | Surgery | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 3.5 | Low |
Gingivectomy/gingivoplasty | Periodontics | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 3.25 | Low |
Endodontic treatment (1 root) with rubber dum (in subsequent appointment after access cavity) | Endodontics | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 3.25 | Low |
Pulp hooding, pulpotomy, pulpectomy (in subsequent appointment after access caivty) with rubber dum | Endodontics | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 3.5 | Low |
Bleaching | Hygiene and prevention | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.75 (≥ 60 min) | 4.75 | Medium |
Splinting | Hygiene and prevention | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 4.25 | Medium |
Visit | Diagnosis | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 4.25 | Medium |
Tartar scaling | Hygiene and prevention | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 7.5 | High |
Extraction with rtating tools | Surgery | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 7.5 | High |
Sinus lift | Surgery | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.75 (≥ 60 min) | 7.75 | High |
Access cavity (rotating instruments) | Endodontics | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 7.25 | High |
Implantology | Surgery | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.75 (≥ 60 min) | 7.75 | High |
Open curettage (quadrant) (rotating tools) | Periodontics | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 7.25 | High |
Bone surgery (rotating tools) | Periodontics | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.75 (≥ 60 min) | 7.75 | High |
Rhizectomy / rhizotomy (rotating tools) | Periodontics | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 7.5 | High |
Sealing of dental grooves | Hygiene and prevention | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 7.25 | High |
Apicectomy with retrograde filling | Surgery | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.75 (≥ 60 min) | 8.75 | High |
Autologous bone harvest (rotating tools) | Surgery | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 8.25 | High |
Abutment tooth preparation | Prosthodontics | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 8.25 | High |
Odontoplasty (1 tooth) | Gnathology | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.25 (≤ 30 min) | 8.25 | High |
Simple / complex filling using rotant tools | Conservative | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.50 (30–60 min) | 8.5 | High |