One of the widely used magnification devices today is the dental loupe. Dental loupes have been known as a standard for modern day dentistry. This type of magnification device does not only allow you to enhance your visual access to the area you are working on, it can as well help you become a better dental care provider. As it enhances your visual acuity or your ability to see the oral cavity, it also gives you the opportunity to clearly and closely see everything inside the mouth of your patient in crisp details. It will likewise help you arrive at a more precise diagnosis and suggest a more appropriate treatment method. This does not only help make your work become simpler and faster, it can as well enhance the confidence, trust, and satisfaction of your patients.

There are two main types of loupes available in the market today: the through the lens or TTL loupe and the flip up loupe. But how do these two types of loupes differ from one another? Let us find out their differences and similarities by pointing out some of their advantages and disadvantages.

Optical Barrels Position

The optical barrels of the TTL loupe are fixed in place while that of the flip up loupe are attached to an adjustable mount.

Convenience

One advantage of the flip up loupe over the TTL loupe is its convenience during a typical working day. You can easily and conveniently flip the optical barrels of a flip up loupe out of sight when not in use like when talking to your patient when writing or taking down notes, or perhaps when doing tasks that do not require the use of optical aid. On the contrary, TTL loupe needs to be totally removed or taken off when you work on things that do not require magnification.

Price

The TTL loupes tend to be a bit more expensive than the flip up loupes. This is mainly because the TTL loupes need to be customized to fit you better. They are specifically created according to a few factors like your interpupillary distance or the distance between your two eyes, and your prescription lens.

Field Of View

Since the magnified optical barrels of the TTL loupes are closer to the eyes, they offer a wider field of view.

Weight

What makes the TTL loupe more advantageous as compared to the flip up loupe is its weight. TTL loupes are relatively lighter than flip up loupes. Since TTL loupes weigh less, they do not put too much weight and pressure on your nose and your neck and they are also more comfortable to wear most especially when you need to put them on for longer periods of time.

Both the TTL and flip up loupes are available in various magnification levels. For general dental procedures, dentists usually opt for loupes with 2.5x magnification. However, for complicated procedures that need more focus, pick the one with higher magnification levels. Magnification levels for dental loupes range from 2.5x to 6.0x.