Early intraoral dental cameras were analog in nature. The first analog intraoral cameras were plugged into a monitor and printer. The images can be examined and printed. The original form of storage was a video cassette recorder. Presentations of the patients’ mouths were recorded on VHS tapes. In 1991, Panasonic introduced a video floppy recorder using a 2” disk priced at $10, and could hold only 50 pictures. Therefore, storing of analog data was costly and burdensome then.
Printing was by dye sublimation printers and printed copies would usually degrade after some time. This restricted the practical utilization of analog images to real-time viewing and paper printing. As digital imaging got better through the late 1990s, it slowly replaced analog imaging as the optimal choice for many dental offices because digital representations were smaller to store, could be incorporated with dental practice management software, and could produce high quality pictures.
In the beginning, digital imaging systems used video capture cards to convert an analog image to a computerized digital image. There are a lot of ways to convert an analog image, but many dental offices would use a video capture card installed in the treatment room computer. To make the conversion, the video output (either composite RCA or S-Video) from a dental camera is connected to the capture card, which then changes the analog video to a digital format. The moment you freeze the video image, computer electronics can capture, collect, enhance, or print that image. In short, the computer replaced the analog printer, which was acknowledged as the memory of the original analog IOC system.
Today, some intraoral dental cameras with analog composite output can still be utilized with video capture cards, while others have direct USB output. For these, it is not the intraoral camera that makes it a digital system; it is what you plug it into.
Contemporary digital cameras can be either corded or cordless; direct USB to the PC or through a docking station. The cords of direct USB IOCs act as both charger and interface data transmitter. Cordless intraoral dental cameras are set on a power docking station, or may hold batteries for power. Wireless receivers transmit the data to the computer or video networks. Cordless intraoral cameras are very convenient to use and transport from operatory to operatory. Nevertheless, original designs were known to pick up irregular interferences with radiography emitting devices or other technology like cell phones, internet connections, or landline phones. Additionally, internal batteries had trouble staying charged. More recent cordless/wireless dental cameras use lithium ion rechargeable batteries that eliminated this problem, and drastically improved the duration of the charge and life of the battery. Advanced corded models are electric powered, and some can be quickly disconnected so that only the IOC hand piece need be transported from room to room. They are lightweight, handy, and do not depend on batteries.