Preparing for a Dental Loupe Fair: A Guide for Dental and Hygiene Students

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ErgoPractice News – July/Aug 2024
By Jin Chang PhD
jchang@surgitel.com

Summary

Attending a loupe fair is an exciting and essential milestone for dental and hygiene students. Loupes are a critical tool in modern dentistry, enhancing precision and ergonomics during procedures. Choosing the right pair of loupe and LED headlight can significantly impact your comfort and performance. Here’s a guide to help dental and hygiene students prepare for a loupe fair, ensuring they make an informed decision.

Understanding the Importance of Loupes

Before attending the fair, understand why loupes are vital in dentistry. They improve visibility, reduce strain, and help maintain an ergonomic posture. With various options available, it’s essential to consider magnification levels, frame styles, and other features that suit your needs and preferences. Have an up-to-date Rx with you. If you have an Rx but use contacts, there are drop-ins available for days you don’t want to wear your contacts.

Research Brands and Loupe Types

Loupes come in various brands and types, each with unique features. Research the different options available, focusing on:

  • Figure 1: Magnifications from 2.5x to 10.0x. Note that field of view may vary based on ocular type, age of eyes, and ocular distance from eyes.

    Magnification Power: Common options include 2.5x, 3.0x, and 3.5x. For a starter loupe, SurgiTel recommends a 3.0x to 3.5x Keplerian loupe, such as the UltiView™, UltiView™ Pro, or ErgoDeflection™. Higher magnification provides a closer view but may reduce the field of view. SurgiTel’s patented compact Keplerian loupes give a wider field of view than a 3.0x Galilean with more magnification.
    Note: When you’re choosing your magnification power it is recommended to keep your working distance in mind. If you are taller or working with a more upright posture you need to increase your magnification power to see the same as someone with a shorter working distance and low powered loupe.

  • Field of View: A larger field of view allows you to see more area while still benefiting from a magnified view.
  • Depth of Field: This refers to the range of distance in which objects appear in focus. A greater depth of field can reduce the need for frequent adjustments.
  • Frame and Weight: Lightweight frames are more comfortable for extended use. Consider the durability and style that fits your personal preference. Choose frames with pantoscopic tilt that offer good eye protection from splashes.

SurgiTel offers four different loupe types to cater to all clinicians: Front-Lens-Mounted (FLM), Through-the-Lens (TTL), TTL Hybrid Loupes™, and ErgoDeflection™.

FLM loupes allow the clinician to adjust anything and everything. As a student, this may be beneficial as you move from the classroom to a clinical setting.

TTL loupes are custom to your facial features. They offer the widest field of view out of all our mounting options. SurgiTel TTL Hybrid Loupes™ give you the flexibility of a steep declination angle without the limiting peripheral vision that is experienced with deflection loupes. Hybrid loupes also offer a more natural vision compared to deflection loupes. To learn more about our TTL Hybrid Loupes™, click here.

The ErgoDeflection loupes offer the best possible ergonomic positioning and are customized to allow the user to work in an optimized working posture.

Figure 2: SurgiTel Loupe Types (from left to right) Through-The-Lens (TTL), ErgoDeflection™, Headband Mounted, and Front-Lens-Mounted (FLM).

Know Your Budget

Dental loupes can be a significant investment. Determine your budget beforehand, considering factors like magnification, quality, and durability. While it may be tempting to opt for the most affordable option, remember that loupes are a long-term investment in your career.

Prepare a List of Questions

Preparing questions for a dental loupe fair is essential to ensure you gather all the necessary information to make an informed decision. Consider asking:

  • What is the warranty and return policy?
  • Are there customizable options for prescriptions?
  • What kind of after-sales support is provided?
  • How does the company handle repairs and maintenance?

Test Different Loupes

One of the main benefits of attending a loupe fair is the opportunity to try out various models. Take the time to test different magnifications and frame styles. Pay attention to weight, comfort, and clarity of the lenses.

Figure 3: Neck posture and spinal stress.

Consider Ergonomics

Proper ergonomics are crucial for preventing long-term neck and back issues. When trying on loupes, be sure that they encourage a natural, upright posture. The declination angle is intended to be a measurement of how well loupes help the user look downward. This angle should be comfortable and allow you to keep your head in a ergonomic position of less than 20-degrees. Note that leaning your neck backwards in a negative degree is not ergonomic.

Considerations for Dental LED Headlights

In dental illumination, LED headlights should fulfill two fundamental criteria. Firstly, they should accurately portray the colors of objects, including teeth and tissues such as gums, to facilitate precise diagnosis and treatment. Secondly, they should effectively mitigate the risk of blue light hazard to ensure the safety and well-being of both clinicians and patients. Exposure to blue light can have both short- and long-term effects2 on health and well-being, such as disruption of sleep, eyestrain (which can also present as headaches, blurred vision, and neck and shoulder pain) dry eyes and fatigue. On the other end of the spectrum are more troubling effects such as retina damage in the form of phototoxicity, apoptosis (cell death), age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and a heightened risk of certain cancers3 (Figure 3 and Figure 4).

SurgiTel | Con2our XS Dental Hygiene Loupe

Figure 4: Effect of blue light on retina cells.4

The Stages of AMD

Figure 4: Visual Effect of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Plan for Future Needs

One of the notable advantages of SurgiTel loupes and LED headlights is the ease of repair. Both products have been designed to be easily maintainable, ensuring that minor issues can be resolved quickly without the need to purchase a new loupe. This significantly reduces long-term maintenance costs and ensures minimal downtime for users. To learn more about how you can save on long-term maintenance costs with SurgiTel, you can read the June 2023 issue of ErgoPractice News.

Take Notes and Reflect

After attending the fair, take some time to reflect on what you learned and the options you tried. Compare the pros and cons of each loupe and LED headlight you evaluated. Consider factors such as comfort, weight, magnification levels, field of view, and customization options for the loupes. For LED headlights, assess the color accuracy of the light to make sure that features aren’t washed out and ensure that there is low blue light emission. Compare how each option aligns with your specific needs and preferences. Think about how comfortable each loupe and headlight felt during use, and whether any caused eye strain or discomfort. By carefully weighing these considerations, you can make an informed decision about which loupes and LED headlights will best meet your needs and preferences.

Final Thoughts

Preparing for a loupe fair involves research, planning, and thoughtful consideration. By understanding your needs, setting a budget, and asking the right questions, you can find the perfect pair of loupes and LED headlight to enhance your dental or hygiene practice. Remember, this is an investment in your education and career, so take the time to choose wisely.

References

  1. Hansraj, Kenneth K. “Assessment of Stresses in the Cervical Spine Caused by Posture and Position of the Head.” Surgical Technology International 25 (November 2014): 277–79. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25393825/.
  2. Cultivating Health. “How Blue Light Affects Your Eyes, Sleep, and Health.” UC Davis Health, August 3, 2022. https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/blue-light-effects-on-your-eyes-sleep-and-health/2022/08.
  3. Helmer, Jodi. “How Does Blue Light Affect You?” WebMD, September 16, 2022. https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/blue-light-health.
  4. Neelam, Kumari, Kah-Guan Au Eong, and Sandy Wenting Zhou. “The Role of Blue Light in the Pathogenesis of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.” Points de Vue. International Review of Ophthalmic Optics, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20230606060004/https://www.pointsdevue.com/article/role-blue-light-pathogenesis-age-related-macular-degeneration.