While the interest in digital radiography has been primarily responsible for the increased demand for technology in the dental practice, intraoral cameras should not be overlooked, as they provide an incredible tool for the practitioner who wants to involve the patient in their diagnosis and treatment. Intraoral cameras have been used for dental applications since the early 1990s. Recent surveys have shown that intraoral cameras are found in about 50% of all dental offices, which seems to indicate that they may have reached their peak in this regard. Anyone that has used an intraoral camera is aware of the advantages that these systems offer:

1. Most cameras are capable of magnifying images at a significant level. This can be an invaluable tool in allowing the dentist to see pathology, such as open margins, fractures, and caries, that wouldn’t easily be seen without this level of magnification.
2. The ability to have images on a computer monitor screen that is visible to the patient is a large benefit. Most experts agree that one of the keys to improving patient acceptance to our treatment plans is the concept of “co-diagnosis”. In other words, allowing the patient to see the problems that we see will allow them to participate in the diagnosis of their dental problems, and they will then be more inclined to accept our recommendations for treating problems that they may have been previously unaware that they had.
3. The cameras allow us to have a permanent record of a patient’s condition before we begin treatment. This can be quite beneficial for cosmetic cases where we can show patients before and after photos of their teeth. Also, for legal reasons, it will often be valuable to have a record of a patient’s condition before treatment began, just in case the patient is unhappy with the results and is considering legal action.
4. Adding photo documentation to an insurance claim will often speed up the approval of that claim.

 

There are a number of factors to consider, I would highly recommend that anyone considering the purchase of an intraoral camera should attend a dental meeting where many of the different vendors will be on hand, so that you can evaluate the different aspects of the cameras:

a. Ability to handle multiple views. According to Clinical Research Associates, there are 6 standard intraoral camera views that should be evaluated when choosing a camera. These are divided into intraoral and extraoral views. The intraoral views are the distal of the upper last molar, the buccal of the upper last molar, and the lingual surfaces of the lower anterior teeth. As far as the extraoral shots are concerned, test the camera’s ability to take a full lower arch, a full-face photo, and a photo of a bitewing radiograph that is being lit by an x-ray view box. Test all of these shots to see which camera can handle the majority of them with ease.
b. Portability. Many dentists have large offices and to save costs, they will consider using a camera that can easily be moved from one operatory to another. Many of the modern USB cameras were designed for just this purpose.
c. Ease of focus. Does the camera require manual focus or is it autofocus? Most cameras have an adjustable focus, so you should evaluate how easy it is to change the focus. The focus should be well labeled, and should have a range of motion that is less than 100 degrees so that you can easily change the focus setting with one hand.
d. Built-in freeze-frame. Many of the newer models do not have this feature, and some people prefer this element to be included with the system.
e. Capture button location. Most units use a foot pedal to capture individual images, but other models have the capture button right on the handpieces. For many dentists, this is simply a matter of personal preference, so you should try both types of systems to see which feels most comfortable for you.
f. Maximum number of images displayed. The standard number is 4 images that can be displayed simultaneously. However, I’ve seen systems that only allow 1 image at a time, and other systems that can allow 16, 20, or 25+ images to be displayed.

Dentists should evaluate intraoral cameras that can give them the best combination of image quality, ease of use and portability to find the best system for their practice.