Get loupes myself or at the school fair?

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planisphere

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Hello dear doctors, I am an incoming D1, and I was wondering what kind of loupes I should buy.

I came across this so-called ergo loupes (still can see while sitting straight up; supposedly protect your back). Or is this just a myth that they are not different from conventional ones?

Any input I'd appreciate! Thank you!
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Does anyone know if buying at the school fair is necessarily cheaper than getting it yourself? Didn't expect loupes to be this costly after researching.

Also, is the trend moving toward ergo loupes for your back health?
 
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planisphere said:
Does anyone know if buying at the school fair is necessarily cheaper than getting it yourself? Didn't expect loupes to be this costly after researching.

Also, is the trend moving toward ergo loupes for your back health?
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From what I’ve been told, wait until the school fair so you can try them on and see what fits you best. They also will most likely offer student discounts if ordered in bulk through the vendors at the fair.

So wait until that happens before purchasing. I was thinking the same thing as you until I talked to a couple D2s at my school.

Ergo loupes seem to be making a huge push. I’m looking into them but I’m going to assess all my options. They’re definitely pricier than regular loupes
 
My school choose loupes for us. I used them in D1-3 without major issues, found halfway through D3 I was having headaches and neck pains daily. I realized that was no way to start a long career, so I ended up buying a second pair of loupes. If I was able to go to a vendor fair and see all the options first, I would not have wasted the money on the forced purchase by the school.

Do your best to test all of them and see which provides you with the most comfort and ergonomics.

Even if you find a few years in that they aren't ideal for you, that's okay. Buying another pair for $2-5000 is cheaper than ending your career sooner than necessary.
 
Ryxndek said:
From what I’ve been told, wait until the school fair so you can try them on and see what fits you best. They also will most likely offer student discounts if ordered in bulk through the vendors at the fair.

So wait until that happens before purchasing. I was thinking the same thing as you until I talked to a couple D2s at my school.

Ergo loupes seem to be making a huge push. I’m looking into them but I’m going to assess all my options. They’re definitely pricier than regular loupes
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It feels like loupes companies are over-advertising the ergo loupes like it's a new hype. I am suspicious that they are overcharging us with a new loupes that do not yet have enough supporting evidence, like in any other marketing method. I read somewhere ergo loupes instead lay strains on ocular muscles, but dunno.
 
Get your loupes from Carl Zeiss and be done with it. The Porsche 911 Turbo of loupes. Their optical quality is insane
 
I would say to get decent magnification. I know a bunch of companies told my class to get like 2x or 3x magnification to get used to it. I went with 3.5x, and at this point I couldn't do anything less. If you plan on making flawless crown preps, and doing lots of endo, 3.5x or higher would be preferable. Some students at my school used 4 to 4.5x and they loved it.
 
Would anyone know how much ergo loupes typically go for? Im starting pros residency and my current loupes are 2.5x from orascoptic and im looking to get their hdl 3.5x ergo loupes was wondering if that wouldnt be too much magnification?
 
GiardiaSpaghetti said:
Would anyone know how much ergo loupes typically go for? Im starting pros residency and my current loupes are 2.5x from orascoptic and im looking to get their hdl 3.5x ergo loupes was wondering if that wouldnt be too much magnification?
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I would advise against loupes from Orascoptic. Everything they make is extremely bulky and will only cause different types of strain, ergo or otherwise. I would gravitate more towards Admetec or Q-optics. They both make lightweight ergo loupes. I suggest a magnification of somewhere between 3.5-5.0x. Anything below that is mainly for hygienists and anything above that should be for those doing more endo related procedures, etc. The benefits of ergo loupes are minimal to no neck strain and the fact that the lens are positioned straight rather than inward, lessening eye strain (contrary to what a previous post on this thread claimed). I'm not a salesman but I've been through multiple types of loupes from multiple loupe companies.
 
planisphere said:
It feels like loupes companies are over-advertising the ergo loupes like it's a new hype. I am suspicious that they are overcharging us with a new loupes that do not yet have enough supporting evidence, like in any other marketing method. I read somewhere ergo loupes instead lay strains on ocular muscles, but dunno.
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Don’t overthink this. Why do you need “supporting evidence” to prove that a device not requiring your neck to bend or eyes to look downwards is superior? They work
 
I would personally not get ergo loupes.

Sure, sounds fine and dandy for your posture, but I prefer more to see the surrounding around the teeth/mouth in my vision, particularly the patient's face. Patient's facial expressions can tell me a lot of things during procedures.

Just ask for a steep declination angle for your fit that doesn't stress out your eyes. It won't be too bad.
 
GiardiaSpaghetti said:
Would anyone know how much ergo loupes typically go for? Im starting pros residency and my current loupes are 2.5x from orascoptic and im looking to get their hdl 3.5x ergo loupes was wondering if that wouldnt be too much magnification?
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You should get higher than 3.5x if you are getting ergo loupes. Orascoptic doesn't offer higher mags, so look into Lumadent or DFV
 
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GiardiaSpaghetti said:
Would anyone know how much ergo loupes typically go for? Im starting pros residency and my current loupes are 2.5x from orascoptic and im looking to get their hdl 3.5x ergo loupes was wondering if that wouldnt be too much magnification?
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I paid $3k for my 5.0x Ergo loupes from Lumadent - this was 2021 price.
 
I have 4x traditional Q-optics (~2.2k) and 5x ergo Lumadent (~2.7k). I cannot work without my ergo loupes anymore. Got used to the ergos in 1 workday, I can see everything, whole arch if I want, down the pulp chamber to the orifices for endo. 0 back/neck pain now, when I would have soreness in the area after a work day with my traditional loupes in the past.
 
jiataoy said:
I have 4x traditional Q-optics (~2.2k) and 5x ergo Lumadent (~2.7k). I cannot work without my ergo loupes anymore. Got used to the ergos in 1 workday, I can see everything, whole arch if I want, down the pulp chamber to the orifices for endo. 0 back/neck pain now, when I would have soreness in the area after a work day with my traditional loupes in the past.
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I appreciate your feeds backs!...
 
My school just had our loupes fair (2 companies came Q-Optics & Orascoptic). Practically everyone did Q-optics. We also had a little over $1,000 off/ included in our tuition for loupes. If you wanted ergo's, it would cost an extra $990 ($1,990 in total), which plenty of people gladly paid for. Otherwise, Q-optics or Orascoptics standard loupes were free/included in tuition.

Edit: Orascoptic ergo loupes cost around $750 extra at our fair. ($1,750 in total)

Most people did the 3.5x magnification, and some went as low as 2.5x (traditional). I did 3.5x ergo; I also thought 4.0x ergo looked pretty good. But just wait until your fair to see what you like the most. I would recommend Ergo's, though; literally 0 strain on my neck. Probably going to be more challenging to learn at first, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.
 
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I enjoy my Surgitel 3.5x, I think their light system is great, and the angle of declination is sharp enough that I dont have to lean much at all. I have been wanting to buy a second pair to take advantage of the student discount we get while in school, but have been thinking of moving to Zeiss. Our class had a large variety, but the large majority were split between Surgitel and Orascoptic.
 
planisphere said:
do they really expect students to pay 3k for a loupes T_T
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That 3k will be the least of your concerns in terms of dental school costs. You can always buy loupes on ebay or used from someone locally for a few hundred dollars. It all depends on how luxurious and/or comfortable you want to be. Similar analogy to cellphones. Does anyone really NEED a 3k phone? No.
 
I would say try as many loupes as you can just because you don't know till you try them. I agree with people saying to start with 3.5x- I have that and it has been good so far for my first ones. My school had us try Orascoptic and I believe everyone in my class still has theirs but I know a few upperclassmen who switched to some other brand because it just wasn't working out for them. I have no issues with mine so far and I believe I still have pretty decent ergonomics with them. The first few times you use loupes, they are uncomfortable so keep that in mind. All this to say that it is a case by case thing.
 
legacybush said:
That 3k will be the least of your concerns in terms of dental school costs. You can always buy loupes on ebay or used from someone locally for a few hundred dollars. It all depends on how luxurious and/or comfortable you want to be. Similar analogy to cellphones. Does anyone really NEED a 3k phone? No.
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I don't think you should loupes on ebay or used.

This is a serious professional tool which can make a significant difference to your patients. It should be custom fitted to your eyesight and working distance.

unfortunately you are correct in that 3k is nothing compared to your dental school costs nowadays...
 
Boofy said:
I enjoy my Surgitel 3.5x, I think their light system is great, and the angle of declination is sharp enough that I dont have to lean much at all. I have been wanting to buy a second pair to take advantage of the student discount we get while in school, but have been thinking of moving to Zeiss. Our class had a large variety, but the large majority were split between Surgitel and Orascoptic.
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This is the answer. Go Zeiss and never need to upgrade because there is nowhere up from there. They make incredible optics. I’ve owned loupes from 3 companies and tried many others and nothing I’ve tried has compared
 
OncePreDent said:
My school just had our loupes fair (2 companies came Q-Optics & Orascoptic). Practically everyone did Q-optics. We also had a little over $1,000 off/ included in our tuition for loupes. If you wanted ergo's, it would cost an extra $990 ($1,990 in total), which plenty of people gladly paid for. Otherwise, Q-optics or Orascoptics standard loupes were free/included in tuition.

Edit: Orascoptic ergo loupes cost around $750 extra at our fair. ($1,750 in total)

Most people did the 3.5x magnification, and some went as low as 2.5x (traditional). I did 3.5x ergo; I also thought 4.0x ergo looked pretty good. But just wait until your fair to see what you like the most. I would recommend Ergo's, though; literally 0 strain on my neck. Probably going to be more challenging to learn at first, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.
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Have any of you heard of Hero Loupes? These loupes are incredibly lightweight, which was a big selling point for me. What's even cooler is that they were the pioneers in bringing Ergo Loupes to the US market and actually own the trademark for it.

I remember when they visited my school for a demonstration – I was a bit skeptical at first, but I gave them a shot. The clarity of the optics blew me away. It's like seeing everything in high definition! Wearing them did not block my direct vision, unlike other brands. I've tried other brands like Lumadent and DFV, but Hero Loupes is the best.

I recommend the Hero Loupes 3.5x EVO. The magnification is strong, and you will get used to it. I figured the cost was an investment for my dental career and well-being (neck and back) and in the scheme of everything, these loupes are used every day for at least 10-20 years.
 
Will the ergo loupes work longterm if you’re going into OMFS?
 
odontogenesis said:
Will the ergo loupes work longterm if you’re going into OMFS?
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I dart my eyes down quickly to make sure my needle is at the oral cavity, I then look purely through my ergo loupes to give blocks. I’ve taken out impacted thirds with them sitting down. Where you sit and, most importantly making the PATIENT be in the position you need is what wins the day. I’m not an Oral/Maxillofacial Surgeon, but from my experience so far with dentoalveolar surgery I will 100% be using my deflection loupes.
 
I use Orascoptic 4.5x and I like it. My XL battery crapped out after a few years so instead of buying a new one I bought Lumadent new WaveLUX. Way cheaper, smaller, and last a while. I love my loupes but I couldn’t justify a $600 battery.

I also have XV1 with the 3.0-5.0 loupes. I hate it. The strap is bad, the threads are stripped, the batteries are doodoo. I’m going to send them in and have them mounted on normal loupes. Already have batteries…
 
Go with Surgitel: good experience with them. Definitely not recommending orascoptic. I had so many issue with loupes and never used because I had to keep sending it back. This is over almost a year now. They are refusing to refund and not responding back to me. They get back to you right away when you order and ask for products but will ghost you when you have trouble with their products. Now going through my credit card company to resolve the issue. So frustrating.
 
odontogenesis said:
Will the ergo loupes work longterm if you’re going into OMFS?
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I am the one resident at my program who uses loupes for EVERYTHING. Keeps posture straight and I can see better. 2.5x that I had from dental school. I would NOT go more than that for surgery - you can’t get tunnel vision.. Almost all surgeons will occasionally use loupes.
 
Ivy.ch said:
I am the one resident at my program who uses loupes for EVERYTHING. Keeps posture straight and I can see better. 2.5x that I had from dental school. I would NOT go more than that for surgery - you can’t get tunnel vision.. Almost all surgeons will occasionally use loupes.
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For orthognathics too? I use my ergo loupes, sitting down I might add, for all dentoalveolar, but I’m curious about OR stuff
 
D1Bound said:
For orthognathics too? I use my ergo loupes, sitting down I might add, for all dentoalveolar, but I’m curious about OR stuff
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At my program people only use loupes for neck dissections/resections
 
stealyoface said:
At my program people only use loupes for neck dissections/resections
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I used my 4.5x loupes from dental school for very tight spaces: lingual nerve repair, orbital floor recons, cleft lip and palate to name a few

I'm not sure how you can use Ergo loupes in the OR because you sacrifice so much of your direct vision. I see an attending at USC using them though.
I'm curious to see how Ergo loupes are with dentoalveolar and implants. Can't imagine it's very fun.
 
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