Often overlooked but playing a very important part in a dentist’s clinic are its chairs and stools. Like a lot of other professions, dentists and their assistants have their own requirements and considerations. Stools designed for these professionals must ensure a proper working position to remove pressure and discomfort from the user’s points of contact with the stool. Uncomfortable seating will make dentists and hygienists perform at less than their optimum.
A properly-designed dental stool should have the following:
- Height adjustment
- Casters
- Great aesthetics
- A quality finish
- Durability
Properly designed dentist’s and hygienist’s stools allow these Surrey Dentists to perform their tasks better, as a comfortable seat minimizes distractions from discomfort. With a chair that has poor ergonomics, posture is compromised, and back aches soon follow.
Consideration must also be given to the padding or cushions. They must have the right combination of firmness and give to prevent pressure points that can cause numbness and pain. Some manufacturers offer padding layers composed of differing densities, so dentists or hygienists can mix and match comfort to their personal preference. This customization helps significantly in being able to endure long stretches in the seated position.
Saddle-style seats have been gaining traction with dental practitioners. In this stool design, the stool does not have a backrest, and in fact has a slight frontward tilt. The idea here is that the user’s legs form part of a tripod, helping form a neutral pelvic position for the dentist. Because the natural tendency would be to slightly spread your legs to stabilize yourself, it is said to promote a more relaxed upper body. This also aids the diaphragm for better breathing.
Unlike normal office chairs, armrests can actually hinder movement. In cases where a dentist’s stool does double duty as an office chair, there are models available that have a swing up armrest.
Dental chairs and stools might seem like secondary pieces of equipment in a Surrey dental office, but they are important pieces to the operation of a clinic. Fancy dental cameras,high speed pneumatic drills, light cure guns, X-ray machines may catch the eye, but a comfortable and relaxing chair and stool will help make a visit to the dentist a more pleasant experience.