Effect of Loupe and Microscope on Dentists' Neck and Shoulder Muscle Workload During Crown Preparation

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2024 Jul 30

PMID 39080435

Authors

Soohyun Hong

Jinyoung Park

Mi-Jeong Jeon

Su-Jung Shin

Jung Hyun Park

Jeong-Won Park

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Although there is consensus among dentists that visual aids not only improve vision but also help improve posture, evidence is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of visual aids (loupe and microscope) on the muscle workload of dentists during crown preparation on dentiform first molars in each quadrant of a phantom head, considering dentists' muscles, patients' tooth positions and surfaces. Six right-handed dentists from a single tertiary hospital participated. Surface electromyography device recorded the muscle workload of the bilateral upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, cervical erector spinae, and anterior deltoid during crown preparation. The results showed significantly lower workload in all examined muscles when using a microscope compared to the naked eye (p < 0.05), whereas the loupe showed reduced workload in some specific muscles. The muscle with the highest workload for all visual aids was the cervical erector spinae, followed by the upper trapezius. When analyzed by tooth surface, while the loupe did not significantly reduce overall workload compared to the naked eye for each surface, the microscope significantly reduced workload for most surfaces (p < 0.05). Therefore, during crown preparation, the workload of the studied muscles can successfully be reduced with the use of a loupe or microscope.

Citing Articles

Decision-Making Factors Among Dentists for Using Dental Magnifying Loupes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Alghilan M, AlShehri A, Almeshrafi A, Alrumi A, AlDibasi O Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. 2025; 17:99-110.

PMID: 39927158 PMC: 11807348. DOI: 10.2147/CCIDE.S501104.

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