One of the many questions we often receive from our clients is if they can use the conventional lamp for their daily clinical dental practice. Others would ask how is the conventional overhead lamp different from the dental headlights. What makes the dental headlight so special and why do most of the dental practitioners prefer to use it despite being too expensive? Why won't they just use the conventional light which is a lot more affordable and easier to find? There are actually a few reasons why dental headlights are more appropriate for dental procedures than the conventional overhead lamp. Here are a few reasons why dental headlight is better than the conventional lamp.

Conventional overhead lamp produces heat and radiation

When the conventional light is turned on and focused on a specific region for an extended period of time, it produces a thermal radiation heat. If you use it during dental procedures, the surrounding tissues, gums, and the oral cavity, in general, will be negatively affected. It can not only make the patient feel uncomfortable because of the heat it produces but it can also dry out the focused area most especially during dental surgeries.

The LED dental headlight, on the other hand, does not produce any heat and radiation. That means, no matter how long it is being used, turned on, and focused on the oral cavity, it does not produce even minimal thermal radiation heat.

LED Dental Headlight

Conventional overhead lamp produces unsuitable color temperature

Dentists and hygienists usually depend on the whiteness of the light in order to see the area they are working on very clearly and accurately. The color temperature that the conventional incandescent light produces is not suitable for dental procedures. It does not provide a very high character and enough level of ‘whiteness’ needed for dental procedures.

Conventional overhead lamp is more expensive

At one look you can say that the portable dental headlight is more expensive. However, the cost of the light does not only stop with its price. What many practitioners do not realize yet is the fact that dental headlight is more cost effective than the conventional overhead lamp. Dental headlight does not consume as much electricity than the conventional lamp. LEDs are also long lasting and do not need frequent replacement while the light bulb of the conventional lamp needs to be replaced at least 10 times all throughout its useful life.

Conventional overhead lamp produces shadows 

The conventional overhead lamp is often attached to a pole and is positioned on top of the dentist's head. Because of this the light being produced can easily be blocked by the dentist and the dental instrument which results in the formation of shadows. The dentist needs to adjust the angle from time to time to eliminate the shadow and to ensure optimal illumination.

The LED dental headlight is either attached to a strap which the dentist can wrap around his head or mounted to the frame of the dental loupes. Since it is worn on the head, it does not cast a shadow of the dentist. Adjusting the light angle or moving from one focused area to another can be done just by moving the user's  head.