The future of dentistry lies within a microscope

The first time I looked through a microscope to do a dental procedure, I had a very different reaction. I knew this was no fad; this was the future and it would transform the way general dentistry is performed. With time, I will be proven right.

My path to microscope-enhanced dentistry started with lower back pain. After only a few years in practice, I was suffering from musculoskeletal disorders due to poor posture and prolonged static positions. Basically, doing dentistry the old-fashioned way was wrecking my body. I was faced with either finding a new career or finding a new way to practice. Enter the world of microscope-enhanced dentistry!

The first time I looked into a scope I knew there was no going back. I was accustomed to practicing with 4.5x loupes, but the level of light and magnification possible with a microscope was a whole new world of vision. After a little due diligence, I decided as a general practitioner I would be well served with a scope having three levels of magnification.

More levels are nice, but I found myself using two levels about 90 percent of the time, and I liked the idea of a simple scope without a lot of clutter. Seiler’s IQ microscope with a ceiling mount was the perfect choice.

My posture improved, my health improved and, as a side note, the level of precision I was capable of improved dramatically. You cannot believe what you can see in a microscope while doing restorative dentistry! Sure, everyone knows the value of extreme magnification while doing endodontics, but few know of its value for a GP doing everyday restorative dentistry.

Of all the gadgets, bells and whistles I’ve purchased over the years, you could have them all back, but the only way you would get my scope would be to pry it from my dead hands. It is a game changer like no other piece of equipment I own. The future is here. I suggest you peek into a microscope and see it for yourself.

Johansen practices in Sandy, Utah. You may visit him online at www.sjdentistry.com.