A dental chair is a patient-supporting device, designed to recline in many positions to facilitate a variety of procedures, from teeth cleanings and x-rays to root canals and oral surgery. It can be a hydraulic or electromechanical chair, depending on the specific functions required.

For dentists, a good dental chair allows them to position themselves close to their patients for better access to the mouth and throat. But, a bad chair can cause them to hunch over or strain their backs because it isn’t properly aligned or positioned. This can lead to musculoskeletal problems with long-term health consequences.

Choosing a chair that can be adjusted for positioning can help minimize these problems. The chair should also have a headrest that is wide enough to accommodate different size patients and a base plate design that allows it to be positioned closer to the operator’s knees for better posture and more comfortable working positions.

Lastly, the chair needs to have a system that provides a reliable source of compressed air for powering delivery systems, suction and other devices. This can be done with an integrated system or by a separate delivery unit that is connected to the chair through a centralized compressed air network. The chair should also provide a control panel for adjusting all these features. Some chairs even come with LED indicator lights to help the dentist identify which handpiece is being used. This reduces the time spent switching between handpieces, which can save valuable treatment time.