Although many of you already know about dental loupes, there are still some dental students, professionals, and hygienists who have many questions in mind about them. It is for this reason why we come up with this blog post. Below you can find some of the common questions about dental loupes and their corresponding answers. 

Dentist loupe

What are dental loupes and its uses?

Dental loupes are optical magnification devices that are intentionally designed and created to magnify or enhance the image that dentists see within a specified working distance and field of view to ensure the highest quality results in any dental procedures. These precision instruments are also used to improve posture while working and to get rid of dental hunchback and other occupational pains like headache, eye strain, back pain, neck fatigue, and shoulder stress.

Are dental loupes safe for my vision?

Yes, dental loupes are safe for your vision, provided they are properly designed and are made of high-quality optics. On the other end, poorly constructed and designed loupes, as well as wrong magnification power, can be harmful to your eyes.

Can I use the loupe with LED dental headlight?

Yes, you can. If it has a mount on the frame where you can clip the headlight, you can easily add and remove the LED dental headlight from your dental optical loupe. If you buy a new loupe, make sure to pick the one with provision for the dental headlight.

Do I need to clean the dental magnification loupes?

Yes, you have to clean the dental magnification loupes regularly. For your patients' and your own safety, you should keep your loupes clean and sterile all the time. Dentist loupes are all made with optics lens coatings to improve the instrument's optical performance. And because they are highly vulnerable to damage, proper care should be observed when cleaning and handling them.

How do I clean my dental loupes?

Cleaning the dental magnifying loupe is quite quick and easy. To start with, you need to remove the gross debris first by spraying the instrument with compressed air. After such, you can then disinfect the loupe by moistening the soft cotton swab with Lysol infection control disinfectant, mild soap, 70% isopropyl alcohol, and other recommended disinfectants. Once done, wipe it dry with the use of a microfiber cloth. The next thing you should do is to clean the lenses with an optical lens cleaner that is specially formulated for coated-lens surfaces. Again, use a microfiber cloth when applying the cleaner and when drying it up.

- Do not submerge the magnifying loupes water or other liquid.
- Use only the recommended disinfectants.
- Never use steam, ultrasonics, autoclave, or gamma radiation in sterilizing the dental loupes.
- Avoid using cotton gauze when cleaning the optics.

Can I add a camera to my loupe?

Yes, you can. make sure to inform the dental loupe manufacturers about your intention of using a camera together with the loupe when you order so they can include the right adapter and mount.

These are just some of the common questions asked by dental students, professionals, and hygienists who want to know more about dental loupes. We hope that this short article can be of great help to you.