starting off with higher magnification? (loupes)

[lazyindy]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey guys,

I haven't posted in a while since life got super busy in dental school. I'm a D1 at NYUCD and we started operative dentistry in pre-clinic our first semester. This semester we are having practicals and so I decided it was a good idea to invest in good loupes. I bought orascoptic 4.5x HDL prisms even though a lot of my professors and classmates thought that going above 3.5x was excessive. They just came in a few days ago and when I tried them on for the first time there was an immediate WOW factor, like "holy crap I could see jupiter from here" lol.

However when I tried drilling with the loupes on the feeling was weird. We are having a practical on MO/DO class II prep on either tooth #14 or #3 (indirect vision) on thursday and I'm not really confident with my ability with these loupes so far. The magnification is nice in that I can see everything in the mirror indirectly that I normally wouldn't see without loupes but I feel as if I have less control of my handpiece while drilling. Its hard to explain but basically when I want my bur to go one way, it goes in a completely different direction. I also don't know how deep Im going into the prep because my depth perception is now completely out of whack

Any advice? is it something that will take time to get used to? or should I switch to a lower magnification like 3.5x?

 

[DentPETE]

I started with 3.5x expanded field prisms from designs for vision and haven't looked back. They are realistically more like a 4.0-4.2x from orascoptic as the magnification is different between companies but I absolutely love them. I had a little bit tougher of a learning curve (the weight on them doesnt bother me) but nothing I couldn't handle. Loupes are awkward in general, regardless of the mag, until you get used to them and pre-clinical stuff is the best time to practice. When your crown margins look fantastic because you can visualize the details a bit better or when you're doing a post and core and you can actually see down the entire canal to see if you're removing gutta percha, you'll be grateful you got used to them. Call me biased, but when I see an older doctor practicing without loupes I judge/second guess the quality of their work immediately. To a lesser extent the same is true with the 2.5x loupes.

I'd be surprised if the loupes were what were causing the lack of depth perception, most likely just inexperience. I'd honestly say they probably help more than they hurt with that sort of thing (being able to see exactly how far your bur is sinking and knowing your bur length). Having the ability to see extra detail will only make you better, imo, especially if you're a perfectionist (you can't fix what you can't see).

Most of my friends and 95% of the class went 2.5x mag and by the end of fourth year quite a few were saying "I might get some higher mag loupes" and quite a few actually did. If you can stand the heavier weight I'd stick with higher mag (though 4.5x miiiiight be a bit aggressive, I think the sweet spot for every day dentistry is 3.5x).

 

[ncide]

I replied to you on DT. The problems that you are describing is what happens when you first learn to prepare teeth using indirect vision. It isn't exactly intuitive right off the bat and feels like your movements are going in the opposite direction.

You are second guessing your loupes because many of your classmates (and perhaps faculty) have not gone to a higher magnification. I did the same initially (Orascoptic 4.3x) because everything was so new, but you will soon find that having higher magnification will make everything easier on you. Your preps and restorations will look better than many of your peers because you can see small imperfections. Keep practicing.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

I replied to you on DT. The problems that you are describing is what happens when you first learn to prepare teeth using indirect vision. It isn't exactly intuitive right off the bat and feels like your movements are going in the opposite direction.

You are second guessing your loupes because many of your classmates (and perhaps faculty) have not gone to a higher magnification. I did the same initially (Orascoptic 4.3x) because everything was so new, but you will soon find that having higher magnification will make everything easier on you. Your preps and restorations will look better than many of your peers because you can see small imperfections. Keep practicing.

If higher magnification loupes = better quality work, why doesn't everyone just get new and better loupes?

 

[sgv]

Hey guys,

I haven't posted in a while since life got super busy in dental school. I'm a D1 at NYUCD and we started operative dentistry in pre-clinic our first semester. This semester we are having practicals and so I decided it was a good idea to invest in good loupes. I bought orascoptic 4.5x HDL prisms even though a lot of my professors and classmates thought that going above 3.5x was excessive. They just came in a few days ago and when I tried them on for the first time there was an immediate WOW factor, like "holy crap I could see jupiter from here" lol.

However when I tried drilling with the loupes on the feeling was weird. We are having a practical on MO/DO class II prep on either tooth #14 or #3 (indirect vision) on thursday and I'm not really confident with my ability with these loupes so far. The magnification is nice in that I can see everything in the mirror indirectly that I normally wouldn't see without loupes but I feel as if I have less control of my handpiece while drilling. Its hard to explain but basically when I want my bur to go one way, it goes in a completely different direction. I also don't know how deep Im going into the prep because my depth perception is now completely out of whack

Any advice? is it something that will take time to get used to? or should I switch to a lower magnification like 3.5x?

Save some money and buy loupes only once by getting a prismatic lense of at least 3.5x mag. Any higher and you should just get a microscope for similar cost but better value.

Galilean lenses (2.5-3.0x) are cheap to produce and are not worth what loupe companies are charging. They have the highest margin of profit for loupe companies and it's in their best interest to sell you galilean loupes, knowing you'll get a prismatic lense after you find out how much more you can see with expanded field. Get a prismatic at 3.5x or above. Regardless of what we buy, we're getting screwed but it's the best bang for your buck to buy loupes only once.

Don't fall for sales tactics of supposed "learning curve" or false advertisement that 2.5 galilean are somehow a prerequisite before getting prismatic >3.5x. That's false and it's the only way loupe salesmen can sell you two loupes in dental school rather than just one. It only takes a couple hours to get used to 3.5x prismatic.

I shake my head at the sales rep as a D4 when my classmates end up buying higher magnification in their last year.

Also your faculty is misinformed because there is no standard for labeling magnification among loupe companies. A 4.3-4.5x prismatic Orascoptic is actually of similar magnification to DFV's 3.5x EF. The costs are similar as well. It's just an unscrupulous marketing strategy.

 

[ncide]

If higher magnification loupes = better quality work, why doesn't everyone just get new and better loupes?

Many eventually do go to a higher loupe magnification from 2.5x. Quite a few of my classmates are already thinking about getting a new pair a few months in.

 

[Manic324]

Our school did not give us a choice we were forced to do 2.5x- some of the faculty mentioned they think it's a mistake and we'll have to upgrade at some point- but at the same time they didn't do anything to change this requirement so... haha

 

[Faux]

Our school did not give us a choice we were forced to do 2.5x- some of the faculty mentioned they think it's a mistake and we'll have to upgrade at some point- but at the same time they didn't do anything to change this requirement so... haha

are you guys forced to use 2.5 in clinic too? or just pre-clinic?

 

[Manic324]

are you guys forced to use 2.5 in clinic too? or just pre-clinic?

I don't think there is a rule for which you have to use in clinic, however everyone uses their 2.5x for all 4 years, because no one is trying to go out and buy super expensive second set of loupes.

 

[Faux]

I don't think there is a rule for which you have to use in clinic, however everyone uses their 2.5x for all 4 years, because no one is trying to go out and buy super expensive second set of loupes.

I'm looking to buy one now, transiting into third year. Most faculty didn't recommend doing so though. Not really sure what to do.

Have 2.5x oralscoptic, want to get 4.3prisms

 

[Manic324]

I'm looking to buy one now, transiting into third year. Most faculty didn't recommend doing so though. Not really sure what to do.

Have 2.5x oralscoptic, want to get 4.3prisms

No one I know in clinic years has ever mentioned having issues with our orascoptic 2.5x, but if you have that kind of extra cash go for it 😛

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

I love my Orascoptic HDL 2.5 micro loupes. I've never felt the need for more power. Though in everything else, more power is always better. Always.

Big Hoss