Modern dental clinics incorporate office design to create a "home atmosphere" while using "high-tech" equipment to promote efficiency and increase productivity. The purpose of this article is to analyze the ergonomic and economic advantages of dental microscopes on now outdated dental loupes. In order to appreciate the benefits of this 21st century device, one must understand the difference between posture instruction and image guidance dentistry.
The term "ergonomics" is the applied science of workplace dental equipment design and aims to increase productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. An ergonomically designed product means that the device must blend smoothly with the person's body and movement. To understand device design, it should first be recognized that certain risk factors such as poor body positioning and related repetitive movements may change the purpose of ergonomics, leading to pain and injury to various parts of the dental professional's body. Musculoskeletal diseases such as lumbar-dorsal disc herniation and rotator cuff impact are the final products of trying to work more efficiently while neglecting the proper way to maintain muscle balance.
By first understanding the difference between posture-directed dentistry and imaging-guided dentistry, the mechanisms associated with muscle balance can be explored because each tooth is associated with the ergonomic health of the dentist. "Image-oriented" dentistry is related to dental surgery using "direct vision." The use of a dental loupe to observe the oral image is a good example of an “image-oriented” dentist.
In this case, the eyes directly look at the image through various lenses aligned with each other connected to the frame. The head posture of the magnifier is kept in a constant tilt position with the chin sloping downwards. Typically, the dentist's head moves toward the image to find and maintain focus at a set focal length.
As the image moves out of focus, it is natural for people to refocus by moving the head back together with the image. As the magnification from 2.0X to 6.0X becomes more and more obvious, the size of the magnifying glass becomes larger and the field of view becomes smaller and smaller. Dental loupes add weight to the front of the dentist's head, so straps are needed to secure the magnifier to the back of the head for stability.
"Position guidance" dentistry is related to dental surgery performed using "indirect vision." The best way to achieve "pose" dentistry is to observe dental images using a dental microscope. Here, the eyes indirectly view the image through various lenses and prisms aligned with each other and supported by the robot arm device. This is a tiltable binocular eyepiece that uses a microscope, allowing the dentist to raise his or her chin in a more flat position. The dental microscope's optical system bends the path of the image to almost 90°, allowing the dentist to stand upright while observing the object, with the head, neck and back lined up.
Pose-oriented dentistry also includes some key techniques. The simple method of tilting the patient's head back into a healthier ergonomic working position helps form the foundation of the workplace. The posture-indicating dentist places the patient in a supine position for maxillary bow surgery and performs jaw arch surgery in a semi-equilibrium position. The dentist's seating area is usually at 11 and 12 o'clock.
This ergonomic positioning helps dentists avoid twisting and turning when using microscopes and receiving hand dental equipment. When the image moves out of focus, the dentist relies more on the patient's verbal command to move the image back to focus.
Other focusing methods for posture-directed dentistry include the use of a dental microscope's fine-tuning focus when changing the magnification from 2.0X to 20X. In addition, hands, forearms and shoulders are usually supported by built-in stools. Adjustable Arms In order to obtain posture-oriented benefits, dentists must first be willing to accept the need for change and abandon the old image-oriented bad habits.
The dental school undergraduate course teaches image-oriented technology. During their four-year undergraduate study, today's dental students never use a magnifying glass to use a dental loupe. The use of a dental loupe combined with limited four-handed dentistry can create a breeding ground for bad habits. Based on this fact, image-guidance habits are mainly formed in dental schools and continue to shape the ergonomic basis of dental practice methods.
The Graduate Pulp Course currently accepts and requires graduate students’ degree of microscopy. Although posture-directed dentistry is very low in dental school restorative courses, as more dental practitioners transition to dental microscopy, one can expect changes.
At the time of this writing, dental pre-universities attending Florida Atlantic University participated in their first practical dental microscope course, but without any prior dental microscope experience. Each of the four students was given cavities for root canal treatment. Then instruct them to use the current composite form to restore the same tooth.
These new generation of students are more willing to accept technological advancement. After the single-tooth exercises, each student was asked to use the various posture guidance techniques previously discussed herein to prepare teeth on the head (ergonomically placed) of the mannequin. The final result showed that all four dental pre-professional students achieved an acceptable level of basic proficiency within four hours using a dental microscope. This exercise clearly supports the "primary rule," which states: "The first thing to learn is best remembered."
Although many innovative ideas, such as computer software and hardware, digital X-rays, automated periodontal probes, and image capture devices helped modernize the dental industry by saving time, none of them was as ergonomic as dentists. Big impact than dental microscopes. Using a dental microscope can improve the dentist's overall performance.
Connected to a flat panel display located at each operator, the dental microscope visually adds a whole new dimension to the viewing and recording of real-time images.
This combination of microscope optics and video has a huge impact on the profitability of the dental business. The dental assistant and the patient now have a front seat to observe the dentistry at several magnification levels.
A dentist using a microscope can see more and do more dental treatments. One can detect the formation of early cracks, which will ultimately determine the type of restoration to be placed. The dentist can find the hidden calculus around the edges more accurately before the impression. They are able to more accurately determine whether sealants, flow agents or composite resins are used for conservative dentistry. The final preparation design can be easily placed.
Today's dental microscopes can be installed through ceilings, walls or more ergonomic space-saving seats. In addition to ergonomic advantages, dental microscope users can enjoy shadeless coaxial illumination and can disassemble and transport the microscope head (portability) between workstations and offices.
In short, dental vision constitutes the structure that determines our degree of success as a dentist. We choose to practice yesterday’s techniques or practice dentistry in exciting new ways to awaken the progress of the 21st century. Existing and upcoming students are more technical than previous generations. They not only accept new technologies, but they do their best to find them. Due to early exposure to eye coordination teaching tools such as Play Stations and Xboxes, their skills have been hone and they are ready to adopt advanced zooming methods.
