Loupes from an Ergonomic and Wellness Perspective
In an article in Bite magazine (a trade magazine for dental professionals published in Australia), Dr Anikó Ball reports on her work with dentists and hygienists on preventing musculoskeletal disorders and chronic pain in her role as a posture specialist in the field of dentistry.
According to Dr Ball, while most dentists these days do use loupes to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients, the loupes are not set to the correct angle of view in 90% of cases. The fixed, predefined and suboptimal angle of view of a TTL (through-the-lens) loupe force the examiner to bend their neck far enough so that they can still see into the mouth of the patient. The joints of the cervical spine which are bent in the process are not designed for this type of prolonged strain, resulting in chronic pain.
Based on her experience with TTL loupes, Dr Ball recommends loupes such as those from HEINE, which can be adjusted to allow for an adequate angle of view. Dr Ball also advises not to cut corners on quality when selecting the right loupe: ‘Take care of yourself – you are your most precious instrument.’
