I often kiddingly say to patients” I Am a High Powered Dentist!!!,,,,,,,4.3 exactly…”(while pointing to my glasses). This s a joke because I use high powered magnifying loupes when examining teeth and performing dentistry. I am currently using pair of Oroscoptic Prismatic loupes with 4.3 magnifications and I use these with a battery operated light attached.
This combination allows me to more easily visualize what otherwise might be hard to find problems and I can more easily peer interproximally in the space between teeth, as well as see very tiny cracks that can cause be the cause of big problems.
Using magnification also allows a dentist to more easily and predictably perform exacting tooth preparations and makes it easier to deliver high quality dental restorations. These loupes are especially valuable when performing cosmetic bonding procedures including posterior and anterior composite restorations.
Although generally magnification is a benefit to dental treatments, it does have its drawbacks. It can be especially difficult to utilize with a fidgety patient since any bodily movement can cause what looks like an “earth quake” in the mouth , when viewed through my loupes. This is probably the primary reason I haven’t gone to a higher magnified pair of loupes or purchased an operatory microscope, since these earthquakes can be disconcerting and would certainly increase in severity with higher magnification
