What to look for when buying a dental chair

What to look for when buying a dental Chair?

When considering patient chairs, stability is the key. The chair must provide an unwavering platform for the delicate, precise work you perform in the oral cavity. It also must creative an efficient working environment that maximizes your access to the patient and provides comfort for your patient.

When you in the market for a new chair, ask the following questions:

How stable is the chair?

A.Stability requirements will vary, depending on what type of equipment you use. Chair-mounted delivery systems require an even more stable chair than cabinet or wall-mounted systems. Still a chair must deliver a stable oral cavity to the dentist.

A practical test of a chair's stability can be performed on a chair with a chair mounted delivery system and light which is sitting on an even and level floor. With a person in a supine position, run the chair to its maximum height. Grasp the top of the light post and attempt to rock the chair side-to-side. The patient seating area should not rock or sway, but should remain basically rigid. The baseplate should not rock at all. If it does or it seems “tippy”, the chair may not be capable of delivering a stable oral cavity to the operator.

The chair base plate is an important factor in stability. It should have a large footprint, yet be configured so it won’t interfere with stool castors.

Q. Does the chair base plate resist dents, scratches and corrosion?

A. The baseplate is constantly under assault from cleaning chemicals and equipment. The finish should not be simply painted as it will chip or mark easily. To keep it looking clean and new, a permanent finish process such as epoxy or electrolytic bonding is ideal the baseplate should be finished on all sides, so floor coverings will not be damaged by rust or corrosion.

Q. How low can you position the chair?

A. How low the chair needs to go depends on the operator’s height. The lower the chair can be positioned, the better, as it will accommodate shorter members of the dental team, enabling them to work in a more comfortable and ergonomically correct position

Q. How thin is the back rest?

A. An ultra-thin, yet sturdy backrest is ideal as it offers more leg room and allows you to position the oral cavity several inches lower (and closer) to your lap.

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Lowering the patients head position enable you work with our forearms parallel to the floor, minimizing arm and shoulder strain. From a patient’s perspective, a properly designed thin backrest absorbs pressure and supports the patient while entering and exiting the chair.

Q.Are you able to easily position the headrest using only one hand?

A.Using a single hand, you should be able to reposition the headrest by activating an adjustment mechanism with your thumb and forefinger. Look for a headrest that adjusts and rotates with your patients head an it will have multiple pivot points so you can accurately position the headrest with one hand.

Do the armrests move easily out of the way?

A. Armrests are necessary for patient comfort, but they should be moveable in a manner that facilitates easy patient entry and exit from both sides of the chair. You should be able to move an armrest with one hand, rather than two. Ideally the armrests will move out of the way in a manner that enables the operator to directly access the patient, without obstruction from the armrests.

Q. Do the armrests ‘track’ relative to chair positioning?

A. As the Chair is positioned, the armrests should move with the patient for increased comfort and less tension.

Q. How do the chairs move?

A. Chair movement varies based on construction. The chair’s initial and final movements play a big role in patient comfort and experience. Sit in the chair. Move it up and down to determine whether there is an initial jarring movement at the start or stop. Look for a chair with a torque dampening system that directs the motor to raise slowly at first, providing a smoother ride for the patient from start to finish.

Does the chair cradle the patient?

A. As you recline the patient in the chair, the toe board should simultaneously lift to elevate the patient’s legs. This cradling motion automatically rotates the patient to a comfortable position alleviating pressure on the spine.

Does the chair swivel easily?

A. Have someone sit in the chair. With the chair in the supine position, release the brake and try rotating it with two fingers. Chairs with good swivel mechanisms will rotate easily. Those that are difficult to rotate have a lesser quality rotation mechanism.


Q. Is there an automatic safety shut-off or reverse mechanism that stops the chair when moving downward if it senses objects underneath?

A. The chair should automatically stop if an object obstructs the chair lift arm, cuspidor or assistant’s instrumentation.

How quietly does the chair operate?

A. Listen for excessive mechanical sounds. Fewer contact points, for example metal-on-metal, mean less wear on the chair and a more relaxing environment for your patient.

Does the chair include a power supply for the delivery system, light and assistants instrumentation?

A. Some chairs include the power supply as a standard feature, while others list it as an option at an additional charge. Look for:

Location – A power supply in the chair base offers better service access and removes it from the floor box, where it may be susceptible to water leaks and drain overflow.

Output – A power supply is important if you plan to integrate ancillary equipment, such as electric motors, cameras or scalers into the delivery system. A 300 watt power supply provides ample power for integration of ancillaries, while 150 watts may limit you to the operation of the chair, delivery system and light only.

Q. Is the chair easy to preprogram and use?

A. You should be able to run the chair to a pre-set operating position with one touch. Pre-set program combinations include.

Rinse Position – Activate once to raise the chair back and place the patient in a position to use the cuspidor or take an x-ray. Activate a second time to return the patient to the precise pre-rinse position.

Pre-Position Program – This allows for programming of up to four user defined positions including the exit position.

Q. Can you instantly override automatic or pre-set functions?

A. Look for conveniently located switches that allow you to override all functions at a mere touch.


Q. Are the upholstery materials and colours compatible with your décor?

A. Make sure the manufacturer has a wide array of colours and upholstery selections for you to choose from. Ask how long the manufacturer will have replacement upholstery available.


Health & Medicine

What to look for when buying a dental chair