The effect of dental loupes on postural ergonomics during non-surgical periodontal therapy

To evaluate the effect of prismatic dental loupes on clinician posture during periodontal treatment performed by periodontology assistants. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted using a counterbalanced crossover design. Ten periodontology assistants performed supragingival scaling on two different patients; once with and once without loupes. Posture was assessed using Branson's Posture Assessment Instrument (BPAI) through photographic evaluation at the 1st, 3rd, and 5th minutes of treatment. BPAI scores were compared between the two conditions, and correlations among posture components were analyzed. The use of loupes significantly improved overall posture, with lower total BPAI scores in the loupe condition. Significant improvements were observed in the hip, trunk, head/neck, and shoulder regions, while wrist posture did not differ significantly. A strong positive correlation was found between total BPAI and head/neck scores, indicating the influence of head/neck alignment on overall posture. Magnification loupes contribute to improved clinician posture, especially in the head/neck region, which strongly correlated with overall posture. The observed interdependence among body regions supports the need for holistic posture assessment. These findings highlight the ergonomic benefits of loupes in reducing musculoskeletal risks in dental practice. Incorporating magnification loupes into clinical practice may improve operator posture and contribute to long-term occupational health among dental professionals.