Over the years, advanced dental technologies have affected the way dentistry is performed. New technologies can detect problems earlier, improve the ways certain procedures are performed and offer greater accuracy, precision and comfort. Manufacturers of all different types of dental equipment are constantly looking for new ways to innovate and improve the technologies you rely on to make caring for your patients more efficient and effective.
Similar to the variety of available options found on cars in the automotive industry, features of dental microscopes serve to differentiate both brands and models from one another. When shopping for a new microscope, the features you prioritize will likely establish which brands and models make it to the top of your list. However, you’ll want to keep in mind that your new microscope should be viewed as an investment in your practice and purchasing a model that can be upgraded with new features down the road helps “future-proof” your new technology.
For over 25 years, we’ve focused on providing microscopes that are designed to be modular and upgradeable, thus greatly minimizing the possibility of obsolescence. We know dental equipment can be among the most significant investments you can make as a practice and we want your purchase decision to serve you well for many years to come.
Today, we’re going to look at some of the upgradeable features available for dental microscopes, designed specifically for practical and comfort purposes to help you maximize your investment.
One of the most in-demand features we offer is the multifocal lens. This technology was specifically designed to help you set up faster and limit the need to reposition your scope. We often see customers come back and request this feature because, after training and practicing with a scope, this feature becomes more desirable to seasoned users.
This efficient tool allows you to adjust to varying focal distances, without adjusting your binoculars or microscope head. Here are the three main benefits of of a multifocal lens:
For more information on this feature, continue reading: The Advantages of a Multifocal Lens.
Dental professionals across the globe are using video and photographs in their practices to record treatments, with a microscope being a great option for simple, on-the-fly case documentation.
Most dental microscope manufacturers can provide you with an upgradeable video and still photo functionality, by integrating with digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and HD video sources.
Having this feature gives you the ability to record and document procedures on the fly without stopping to switch devices. Beyond case documentation, the video/photo functionality of your microscope is useful for submitting insurance reimbursements, adding video to clinical cases/lectures and patient education.
We also found that using a Dual Iris Diaphragm in conjunction with your camera helps achieve a greater depth of field in your photography. This is an additional upgradeable feature we offer to help enhance your photos and videos for documentation as well as training/education purposes.
Many doctors we work with who use an SLR camera attachment are also interested in adding a 50/50 beamsplitter.
What is a beamsplitter?
A beamsplitter attachment uses prisms to reflect light from image to camera. This improves the illumination you’ll see through the camera more similar to what’s seen through the scope. It contains two cube prisms, which splits 50% of the available light through an iris diaphragm to a video camera and the other 50% is transmitted to the primary user.
Just as a video monitor can improve communication between doctor and assistant, the Binocular Co-Observation System (BOS) is another option some operatories use to allow the assistant to see what the doctor is seeing.
This attachment allows for a second pair of eyes to be involved in a case and see the fine detail the primary user is seeing. For some operatories, this second binocular vision is preferable to viewing through a screen or monitor because it allows closer involvement from an assistant.
The BOS pulls light from either the left or right side of the scope depending on which side it is installed on. This limits the field of view on the second binocular to pseudo-stereo vision, which is not as wide as what the primary user will see with both eyes to form the image.
For more about the BOS and how to use this feature in your exam rooms, continue reading: The Surgical Assistant’s Guide to Dental Microscopes.
As a dental microscope manufacturer, we’re passionate about lighting. Illumination gives magnification its power, helping you see the finest details you could never see before. We’re so passionate (even a little obsessed) with how greatly illumination impacts your vision, and your experience on a scope, we wrote the article on: Dental Magnification & Illumination.
When you purchase a Global A-Series microscope, your scope will have the brightest LED light source available at 100,000 LUX output. This produces unobstructed, coaxial, shadow-free illumination, and maintains a constant color temperature at a nearly ideal 5,500 Kelvin. The LED light source is also capable of operating at a wide range of intensities. At approximately 50,000 service hours, the need to change your light source virtually disappears.
We developed a next generation of our built-in LED light source to further enhance your experience on a scope. Referred to as our Enhanced LED, this technology coupled with a new ergonomic design and the direct-to-port delivery system provides the ideal lighting solution for the surgical microscope. This upgradeable feature comes with a composite filter, a green filter (differentiates between blood and tissue), and intensity indicator.
As previously mentioned, some upgradeable features serve the purpose of adding comfort – herein ergonomics. And ergonomics are something we’re just as passionate about as illumination. Good ergonomics can extend the life and health of your practice, and a dental microscope should help you achieve the results you’re looking for.
We wrote the article on Improving Ergonomics on a Dental Microscope to help you explore the ways your scope helps your daily operation.
Here are some additional features to look for that can help maintain your comfortable, working positioning on a scope – including customizable ways to position your scope within your operatory for optimal performance.
In addition to these ergonomic accessories designed for your scope, you can also enhance the ergonomics of your microscope usage by upgrading your dental stool to a microsurgeon chair. A microsurgeon chair is designed to offer arm support to assist you while using your microscope.
Some doctors we speak with perform various laser surgeries using their dental microscope, enabling highly precise and less invasive treatment. These treatments include teeth whitening to hard tissue cutting, soft tissue surgeries and more.
Adding a Laser Filter Module to your scope protects your eyes when performing laser surgeries without the need to wear laser protective eyewear in addition to looking through the scope.
An interchangeable Laser Filter Slide is custom designed to match the specific manufacturer and model of the laser in use and supply the correct level of protection at the proper wavelengths to prevent retinal damage.
Whether you’re looking to upgrade your scope with additional features, or looking to get started with a scope altogether, we’re here to help! We’ve been helping dental practices for over 25 years see the visual and ergonomic benefits of a dental microscope. This is why we’ve committed to offering upgradeable features which help you maximize your investment as you get familiar with the precise needs you’ll have with prolonged use.
We’re proud to be based in the US, with manufacturing and assembly facilities in St. Louis, MO. This helps us give our customers the best service, domestically and internationally. And, as part of our commitment to our customers, we offer a limited lifetime warranty on our scopes (US & Canada customers only).
Get started with a conversation with Global Surgical by reaching us at 800-861-3585 or by clicking the button below.