When choosing a dental chair, comfort is one of the most vital features you need to consider. Why is comfort crucial in a dental chair? Comfort puts the patient at ease and makes them feel confident in the treatment process. Besides, a comfortable dental chair helps the dentist achieve the proper posture and accessibility for improved productivity. That brings out the main question, how then do you find a comfortable dental chair? Below we detail everything you need to know to be able to find a comfortable dental chair.
Adequate Back Support
Sometimes you will find dental chairs leaving a gap between the chair and the back of the patient. This gap is more prominent around the lumbar spine area, whether the dental chair is upright or reclined. Such gaps generally lead to backaches, especially if the patient has underlying lower back pain or is older. An excellent dental chair should not have this gap or feature support cushioning or padding to eliminate this gap.
Knee Support
Another area that causes discomfort to patients is the knee area. Dental chairs feature a design that focuses on the comfort of patients with an average height. In real life, some patients are taller than others, and so are the different leg lengths. Comfortable dental chairs feature knee pads which can help eliminate the problem in the following ways:
- Lifting and supporting the patient’s knees
- Aligning and stabilising the patient in the dental chair
- Together with the backrest, they help to relieve pressure from the hips and back of the patient
Head Support
Although the headrests in most dental chairs offer the patient some comfort, they are not comfortable enough for an extended stay. The discomfort increases as the dentist tries to recline the patient’s head to get better access to the areas requiring treatment. Comfortable dental chairs should have headrests that can:
- Offer neck support to the patient for easier reclining and head tilting
- Allow the patient to rest on the headrest for an extended time with exhaustion or fatigue
- Allow the dentist has better access to the mouth and the areas requiring treatment
- Adjustable to the varying patient needs and sizes
Low-Profile Or Sling-Style Armrests
Some dental chairs feature a fixed-metal armrest and others low-profile or sling-style armrests. Unlike the fixed-metal armrest, the low-profile or sling-style armrests allow dentists to access patients in 8-10 o’clock positions without hurting their knees.
Swivel Feature
A comfortable dental chair should rotate, allowing the dentists to access the patient’s head from different angles. This feature is especially vital when the space between the counter and the patient’s headrest is small.
Height Adjustment
A comfortable dental chair should have an adjustable height. Below are some of the benefits of adjustable height.
- Adjusts low enough for the dentist’s comfortable and neutral sitting position, especially when treating patients in a semi-supine place without elevating the arms or perching on the dental chair edge.
- Adjusts high enough to allow the dentist to stand comfortably without excessive forward bending when carrying out procedures that require standing, such as impression taking and extractions.
Narrow Backrest
A comfortable dental chair should have a narrow backrest to allow the dentist access to the patient more easily, regardless of the patient size. The backrest should also be wide enough for the patient to recline comfortably.
Final Thoughts
Even today, dental chairs undergo design tweaks and rigorous testing to improve their comfort for both dentists and patients. Even with these advancements, different brands and models still have varying levels of comfort. Although this variation makes it challenging to identify the most comfortable one, the above tips will help you find a comfortable dental chair for you, your team, and your patients.
If you are searching for the best dental chair supplier in Australia, then look no further than Dental Equipment Services. We offer the best dental equipment in Australia for your dental practice.
For all your dental supply requirements, please call us today on 1300 144 975 or leave an enquiry.