Intra-Oral Dental Camera

An intraoral dental camera, as the name suggests, is a small video camera resembling a pen which is used to take an X-ray image of the outside of a patient’s tooth or gum. Though it has been in existence since the 1990’s, it is still considered a new advancement in dental technology, and not yet used by all dentists. However, it is steadily becoming more popular as it makes the task of diagnosing decay and damage to tooth easier for the dentist, and allows the patient to see the problem with the tooth and understand it better.

How does it work?

A disposable protective sheath is put over each patient’s chest while using the camera. The camera is attached to a monitor and when the dentist puts the camera in the patient’s mouth, the images are transferred to a computer monitor where they can be stored for reference. The dentist moves the camera in the mouth gently to take images of teeth and gum from a number of angles.

Advantages of Intraoral Cameras for the Patients

• The patient is able to see the inside of his/her mouth and learn the exact nature of dental problem.
• The images on the monitor allow the patient to understand the diagnosis and the proposed treatment better.
• It’s a lot more comfortable and communicative than the traditional dental X-ray.
• Patients can also keep a visual track of the progress through images taken at successive stages of treatment.
• May prove helpful in case on insurance-related issues.

Advantages of Intraoral Dental Cameras for the Dentists

• It helps the dentist in building a rapport with the patient and arousing trust in the dentist’s capabilities.
• It allows the dentist to take pictures from various angles, thereby resulting in a more accurate diagnosis.
• It’s a great tool for educating the customers about dental issues and forcing them to take ownership of the dental problems they are facing due to non-maintenance of proper dental hygiene.
• Dentists may use the camera images in checking difficult access areas and angles while preparing tooth for restoration.
• Better margin inspection.
• In case of pulp exposures or vertical fractures, the camera images are especially helpful in determining the course of action.
• Keeping a track of treatment by taking images at successive stages.

The stored images can be used in case of any legal issues related to the treatment.