You would find it surprising as to how grateful patients will be with dental photography. If you take the time to show them photos of their teeth as a means to explain your diagnosis and support your treatment plan, it would be a big help in many ways.
Dental Photography: the foundation of prodigious clinical work
In modern aesthetic clinical dentistry, dental photography is a key foundation of clinical excellence. Taking regular dental photographs has several benefits:
- Improved laboratory communication
- Better record keeping
- Marketing
- Medico legal purposes
- Patient education
- Referrals
- Self-reflection
Megapixel Race in Dental Photography
When it comes to dental cameras, you would want the best, not the biggest. For dentistry, there are aspects that may be more important than pixel count. It is essential to have a system where the camera, lens, and flash collaborate to provide images that are in focus with correct lighting and accurate colour.
All the same, when we find the system with these attributes, if the doctor and staff cannot or do not want to utilize it, it would just go to waste.
The objectives of implementing an effective digital photography system for a dental practice are the following:
- Purchase an ergonomic system the staff can and will want to use
- Select a series of images that are consistently taken
- Find one with accurate colour and light control
- Check if it is versatile enough for portraits as well as quadrant close-ups
- Practice using it
- Take time to make certain the staff is well trained
Types of Dental Cameras for Dental Photography
Give attention to the sort of camera you are buying. There are various types available out there, some of which are:
Intraoral Dental Camera
Though a smartphone might be capable of capturing high quality images, dental photography, both in and out of the patient’s mouth, is best taken with a specialized camera. Nowadays, intraoral cameras are the most common instruments for clinical documentation. Designed like a wand, these digital camera systems are effective in capturing high-definition images from inside a patient’s mouth. They are a great device for not only examining and diagnosing a clinical situation, but also for showing the patient what you see while attending to their oral health.
Compact Digital Cameras
The most frequently used camera for dental photography is the digital camera. With integrated flash and lens units, these cameras are easy to work with, but they may not be fitting for photographic oral cavity.
Smartphone Cameras
Smartphones and tablets these days come with built-in cameras. But, these are not suitable for digital photography, as the final images have a tendency to get pixelated with the digital zoom.
Bridge Compact Digital Cameras
These cutting-edge compact cameras are a mix of a compact camera and a DSLR. With built-in flash and lens units, these particular cameras are found to be suitable for dental photography.
Mirrorless Cameras
The Mirrorless system is the newest type of camera and has similar capabilities to a DSLR. The interchangeable lens cameras are appropriate for dental photography but offer limited choices for adjustments.
DSLR
Digital single lens reflex cameras are highly modifiable cameras that house the body, lens, and flash. This type is considered to be the best for dental photography, but not in capturing what goes inside the mouth.
Remember, it is not always about the specifications or the price. It should be about what you need and how you use it.