The history of the dental chair - Health - Dental Care

It is believed that the first dental chair was patented in 1948 by Waldo Hanchett; since then, dental chairs have undergone something of a transformation and modern designs now boast state of the art technology and a range of gadgets and gizmos.

Early dental chairs

Early dental chairs were made from wood and had basic designs, which featured a seat for the patient and a stool for the dentist. As technology has advanced, so have the range of features added to dental chairs and the dental chair has come a long way from the first wooden chair introduced to the world more than 150 years ago.Modern dental chairs

Modern dental chairs are extremely comprehensive and versatile, with a large range of standard features and many additional extras. Today, the dental chair is very much designed to provide both the operator and the patient with maximum comfort. The cushions of the chairs are designed to provide a relaxing experience for the patient and most chairs can be adjusted to suit the individual patient.

Modern chairs are also much more compact than older designs; this enables the dentist to move freely around the unit and also allows them to get close to the patient??s mouth without having to bend over for long periods of time; this helps to reduce the risk of them developing back, neck and shoulder pain, which are usually very common amongst dental professionals.

Modern chairs use state of the art technology to make life easier for the dentist and facilitate good performance; dentists can customise their unit to suit their individual needs and they are able to find everything they need without having to move at all. Most modern chairs can also be controlled using foot controls, which enable dentists to adjust the position of the chair without having to stop in the middle of a procedure or an appointment. Increasingly, chairs are also fitted with multimedia stations, which enable dentists to use computer technology to store their preferences, view images and download information.

The chairs of the future

Dental chairs are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their design and some of the unique designs emerging onto the market are very futuristic. Modern dentists are using multimedia systems and computer technology on an increasingly regular basis and this helps to improve efficiency and accuracy, as well as making their lives easier. Designs of the future will undoubtedly continue to provide dentists with sophisticated, integrated technology and new innovations as well as providing systems to prevent infection and contamination and increase both operator and patient comfort.

The future of dentistry is also heading towards a greener approach and many companies are searching for ways to contribute to the global effort to save the planet and cut waste by pioneering designs and ideas which provide more environmentally friendly working conditions and results.

The focus of manufacturing is very much to optimise performance and many dental companies are working on new innovations, features and instruments to evolve the way things are done, cut waste, save time, save money and produce better results.