LED HeadLight
The 3S LED HeadLight combines 50,000-Lux illumination with continuously adjustable spot size and brightness control.
Heine describes its 3S LED HeadLight as an ultra-bright, compact operator light designed for powerful coaxial illumination. According to the manufacturer, 50,000-Lux illumination makes the 3S LED more than twice as bright as other standard LED and conventional headlights.
The compact, lightweight unit features a continuously adjustable spot size and brightness control and a patent-pending micro-absorption system for the integrated cooling fan to ensure quiet and vibrationfree operation. The manufacturer reports an operating time of 4 hours with a Li-ion battery “for 70% more capacity than with conventional rechargeable batteries.” An mPack enables direct connection to the main power supply for unlimited operating time.
Expansion options include fully adjustable HR/HRP binocular loupes, the Heine S-Guard with splash protection, the Heine i-View LoupeBracket, and video application.
Light Brightness
According to the manufacturer, the 3S LED HeadLight’s 50,000-Lux illumination (250 mm working distance) and multi-coated glass optics produce optimal brightness (The light used by the evaluators was 30,000 Lux. The 3S LED was recently improved to 50,000 Lux). Of the 7 dentists who participated in the evaluation of the 3S, 5 rated brightness of the light as excellent, 1 rated it as very good, and 1 rated it as poor. One dentist said the light was “dim in a side-by-side comparison with other units” and another evaluator called it “awesome.”
Ease of Use (Comfort and Restrictiveness)
Heine states that the compact design of the 3S ensures clear, unobstructed illumination and that a weight of only 70 g ensures user comfort, even during extended use.
The evaluators rated ease of use in terms of both comfort and restrictiveness. When asked about overall comfort (weight/balance/fit), 4 dentists used “bulky” or “heavy” to describe the unit. One of these evaluators said the battery was “huge” and another said it “takes time to get used to [the weight].” One dentist said the transformer “caused a vibration when in use.” Overall comfort was rated as very good by 4 evaluators, as good by 1, and as fair or poor by 2.
When asked if the light prohibits movement or obstructs sight lines, 1 evaluator called the 3S “very adjustable” and said the sight lines were “optimal.” Another evaluator said the light “interferes with my loupes.” Restrictiveness was rated as excellent by 4 evaluators and as very good to good by 3.
Light Beam and Illumination Field
The manufacturer states that the small diameter of the beam produced by the 3S LED HeadLight makes it ideal for dental applications. Spot adjustment features a continuously adjustable iris aperture (20-mm to 130- mm illuminated field diameter at 500 mm) and fully adjustable angle of declination for precise user selection.
The evaluators commented on the light beam with regard to both size and range, and adjustability. Appropriate size and range of the light beam was rated as excellent by 5 evaluators and as very good by 2. Adjustability of the light beam (size, angle, and direction) was rated as excellent by 4 evaluators and as very good to good by 3. One dentist called beam intensity and size “fully adjustable.”
The evaluators also rated the lighted field with regard to light reflection and presence of shadows. When asked if the light reflects, 4 dentists rated the illumination field as excellent and 3 rated it as very good to good. Three evaluators rated the presence of shadows as excellent, 3 rated it as very good, and 1 rated it as good. The dentist who said the 3S “worked very nicely” noted that shadows “weren’t a problem.”
Overall Satisfaction
Overall satisfaction with the 3S LED HeadLight was rated as very good by 1 evaluator, as good by 4 evaluators, and as fair to poor by 2. Five evaluators said the unit was “somewhat costly” to “very expensive.” One dentist said the lighted field produced by the 3S was “very crisp and clear with minimal shadows,” and another said adjusting the size, angle, and direction of the beam was “easily performed.”
