Many patients, especially younger patients, are very familiar with the latest technology and are more comfortable with the high tech practice. Computers and TV screens are their primary method of information processing. Doctors utilize intraoral camera technology that helps enhance your understanding of your diagnosis. An intraoral camera is a very small camera. In some cases, an intraoral camera is just a few millimeters long. An intraoral camera allows our practice to view clear, precise images of your mouth, teeth, and gums, in order for us to accurately make a diagnosis.With clear, defined, enlarged images, you see details that may be missed by standard mirror examinations.
One of the intraoral camera’s most important advantages is the ability to capture and manipulate an image in the oral cavity and save it to the patient’s chart. If electronic patient charts are not being used, the images can be printed and filed in the patient’s paper chart. This allows dentists to share their observations with patients so they can become better informed about their own overall dental health.
The images captured by intraoral cameras are used to accurately visualize problems with teeth and/or tissues, including fractured teeth or restorations, carious lesions, plaque buildup, and bleeding or inflamed tissues. With the intraoral camera’s technology, our dentists and their patients can collaborate on the right treatment plan to achieve optimal oral and dental health. Patients are now able to view potential problems along with our doctors while their treatment progress is effectively monitored. Sequential photos of the treatment effectively documents our patient compliance and improvement in their oral health.
With the use of the intraoral camera our doctors can examine the oral cavity for any precautionary symptoms that may indicate a health risk. This includes but is not limited to images of any problematic oral lesions, eating disorders, and other diseases that may be present in the oral cavity is essential to effective patient documentation.
The intraoral images captured by the camera closely illustrate the diagnoses and allow dentists to explain further to patients how to proceed with oral health treatment. This also allows dental care/ oral health care providers ti effectively demonstrate consequences to patients if the condition is left untreated.
Intraoral images can be printed out for patients to take home. Patients can then take time to consider the proposed treatment plan and hopefully become more motivated to improve their oral health.
Some intraoral software programs allow images to be modified in real time to illustrate proposed esthetic changes prior to altering the tooth structure. Additionally, images can be sent electronically to dental laboratories for a more accurate color match in veneers, crowns, and/or fixed partial dentures.
