Hallmark of Dentistry: The Evolution and Benefits of the Dental Magnifying Loupe

Abstract

Background Dental education has increasingly recognized magnification as an integral part of dentistry and based on the advantages and benefits recommends its use as early as in the first year of dental school. Dental students and practitioners have become aware of their enhanced quality of work, while preventing eye fatigue and strain. Thanks to proper ergonomics, long-term bodily afflictions such as MSDs can be prevented and increase the dental students and practitioners’ ability to enhance career longevity.Case Description This review aims to present the evolution and benefits of dental magnifying loupes used to improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes through enhancement of the visual acuity, thus preventing musculoskeletal disorders and improving ergonomics. An overview of the type of magnification is presented discussing single lens loupes, Galilean loupes and prism loupes. Furthermore, visual acuity, working distance and depth of field, declination angle and working angle, field of view and convergence angle, magnification and illumination are explained.Practical Implications Loupes offer the dental profession enhanced visualization of the operating field, while at the same time they reduce eyestrain providing ergonomic advantages, and preventing long-term complications such as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). When dental students and practitioners wear dental loupes in an ergonomically correct neutral position, significantly more benefits have been reported compared to operators that do not use magnification. Dental magnifying loupes are becoming the expected hallmark of dentistry; thus, they are considered a new identity and icon of the dental profession.