Dentistry can be a stressful profession for both the mind and body. Routinely treating patients while in an awkward or uncomfortable position can lead to painful back and neck problems, thus drastically reducing the practice life of the health care provider.

1. Ergonomics at your fingertips
Dentistry can be a stressful profession for both the mind and body. Routinely treating
patients while in an awkward or uncomfortable position can lead to painful back and
neck problems, thus drastically reducing the practice life of the health care provider.
Ergonomics is defined as an applied science concerned with designing and arranging
items used by people so that the people and items used interact most efficiently and
safely1.
Ergonomics is of the utmost importance in dentistry
as the health and safety of the provider are tested on
a daily basis. Dentists often feel forced into
improper positions because of an inability to see
certain areas of the mouth clearly.
The ability to see clearly is the crux of accurate
dentistry. Often times, the anatomical variations of
the human mouth prevent simple direct vision.
When working on the distal and lingual surfaces of
teeth, the mirror is often one’s only means of
visually detecting caries, gingival abnormalities and margins of restorations. Having a
mirror that portrays a true and bright reflection is important. Assistants working with
the dentist also benefit from the use of intraoral mirrors for visualization but can also
struggle with distorted images from traditional rhodium mirrors.
I found Zirc’s Crystal HD Mirror to portray a superior reflection compared to the
traditional Rhodium Mirror. Its lens is 40% brighter and it is available in four different
styles.
In addition, many have found corrosion of the mirror head to be bothersome with
having to “scale-out” the build-up between the mirror frame and the lens, however, the
use of a plastic mirror head can eliminate this possibility.

2. The Crystal HD Mirror is manufactured with a mirror face that is flush with the
Microban2 infused plastic frame.The use of a mirror with a comfortable plastic head
allows the provider to place pressure in more sensitive areas, such as the floor of the
mouth, to create sufficient retraction and image reflection.
Dr. Lauren Massey Williams
A general dentist who practices in Floresville, Texas
provides a wide variety of services to all ages. She has an
educational blog called SmartDentalReviews.com which was
created as a means for dentists to find products to use in
their offices for preventive, restorative and endodontic care.
1. www.merriam-webster.com
2. www.microban.com