In addition to
being a good light source, the headlight and accompanying
battery pack, according to Orascoptic, are
designed to be lightweight.
Light Output
According to the manufacturer, the Zeon Apollo
headlight illuminates at an average of 3300 candles.
When the 6 hygienists who participated in this evaluation
were asked about the importance of light output
when purchasing a headlight, 5 said it is very
important and 1 said it is important. They were then
asked to rate the Zeon Apollo on its light output (is
the light too bright or not bright enough). Four evaluators
rated it as excellent, 1 rated it as very good,
and 1 rated it as fair. The evaluator who rated the
light output as fair said that the “diameter of the
lighted surface seemed narrow and not as bright as
others.” However, another evaluator said, “I find the
light output to be perfect. Good illumination yet not
offensive to the patient.”
Spotlight Quality
Orascoptic says that the Zeon Apollo spotlight is
2.5 inches in diameter, which illuminates the entire
oral cavity. In addition, the spotlight is bright white
and round. Other spotlights often include tints of
orange or blue and may be square rather than round.
When the evaluators were asked to rate the spotlight
quality of the Zeon Apollo, 3 rated it as excellent,
2 rated it as very good, and 1 rated it as good.
One evaluator described the spotlight as “perfect.”
Another evaluator said, “I was very pleased with the
perfect white color of the spotlight.”
Comfort and Weight of Headlight
and Battery Pack
The manufacturer describes both the
headlight and battery pack as lightweight.
The headlight, which Orascoptic
says is the smallest on the market, weighs
0.6 oz. The battery pack weighs 7 oz.
The evaluators where asked to rate
the comfort and weight of both the
headlight and battery pack. Three evaluators
rated the headlight very good, 1
rated it as good, and 1 rated it as fair.
One evaluator said, “My neck gets a bit
tired from working so I did notice the
weight toward the end of the day, but it
was still very good and lightweight.”
With regard to the comfort and
weight of the battery pack, 2 rated it as
excellent, 2 rated it as good, and 2 rated
it as fair. One evaluator said she experienced
“no discomfort whatsoever.”
Overall Illumination of the Oral
Cavity
The 2.5 inch diameter spotlight of the
Zeon Apollo is intended to illuminate the
entire oral cavity. When the evaluators
were asked to rate the overall illumination
of the light, 3 rated it as excellent, 2
rated it as very good, and 1 rated it as
good. One evaluator said of the illumination,
“Perfect, round, white light, which I
especially enjoyed when working on the
maxillary posterior areas and the
mandibular posterior lingual areas.”
Battery Run Time
The output of some LED lights
diminishes as the battery runs down.
However, according to Orascoptic, the
battery in the Zeon Apollo remains
consistent for its entire 7-hour run time.
Four evaluators rated the Zeon Apollo
battery run time as excellent and 2
rated it as very good. One evaluator
said that the light “worked for my full
day of 7 to 8 patients at an hour per
patient.” Another evaluator said, “One
battery charge goes the entire day without
interruption.”
Overall Satisfaction
When asked if they would recommend
the Zeon Apollo to their professional
colleagues, 5 said definitely and
1 said she wasn’t sure. Five evaluators
said they would definitely or probably
purchase the light in the future.
At the end of the evaluation, the
hygienists who participated were asked
to give their overall satisfaction rating
for the Zeon Apollo. Two rated it as
excellent, 3 rated it as very good, and 1
rated it as good. One evaluator said,
“The light has amazingly soft luminescence,
yet it is not offensive to even my
youngest patients, who are very sensitive
to the standard overhead light. The
Zeon Apollo lights a circular area in the
mouth, which I find to be just perfect.”
The freedom of portability and the superior illumination of a
headlight system have never been more affordable.
Orascoptic’s latest portable headlight, the Zeon Apollo, combines
comfort and performance at an economical price.
The Apollo spotlight is a full 2.5”, which is ideal for illuminating
the entire oral cavity. It is bright, white, and round, just like the mouth.
Weighing a mere 0.6 oz, the Apollo headlamp is the smallest and
most lightweight on the market. Like most other portable systems, the
Apollo battery pack can be worn on a belt clip, but it is the first system
in the industry to include a convenient armband option as well.
An anti-curing filter comes standard with every system. The innovative
filter can be completely removed from the headlamp, so there is no
need to carry that extra weight when not working with composites.
The Apollo illuminates at 3,300 foot candles and the lightweight
battery pack runs for 7 hours and recharges in just 3 hours. Combine
the Apollo with an Orascoptic high-definition loupe for maxiumum
visual acuity and depth-of-field. —Monica Roy-Smith
