What Is an Intraoral Camera?
It is one thing for your dentist to tell you there is a small crack, cavity, or area of concern in your mouth. It is another thing to actually see it for yourself. With intraoral cameras, dental appointments are visually engaging, enabling you to clearly see what your dentist is seeing. This gives you a better understanding of your oral health.
Looking inside someone’s mouth has never been an easy task. Teeth and gums consist of many small crevices and spaces that sometimes are not easily seen with just a mirror and high-intensity lights. While these traditional devices are still used regularly, intraoral cameras provide a high level of magnification and instant information.
An intraoral camera is a small, handheld device with a tiny camera built into the tip. Most are equipped with a light source and auto-focus. Due to its small size, your dentist uses the intraoral camera to examine parts of your mouth that might otherwise be difficult to see. This is especially helpful when checking for hidden tooth decay, gum disease, worn fillings, chipped or cracked teeth, or other concerns that are challenging to spot with the naked eye. All captured images can be displayed on a computer monitor, where they can be enlarged further to aid your dentist in viewing areas of interest or concern within your mouth.
Visualizing Your Dental Care
One of the greatest benefits of intraoral cameras is that they help patients better understand their dental care. Instead of simply hearing a description of a problem, you actually see the area of concern on a monitor. This makes it easier to understand why a treatment is being recommended and what may happen if the issue is left untreated.
Another benefit of intraoral cameras is the ability to track changes occurring in your mouth. For example, if your dentist sees something in your mouth that doesn’t need to be addressed right away, but should be watched closely over time, the digital images of that particular area are saved in your dental file. At subsequent visits, the dentist then compares past and current photos to determine whether there have been any significant changes in that area since your last visit. By keeping tabs on these subtle differences over time, your dental team identifies early signs of potential issues and develops effective treatment plans accordingly.
Healthier Smiles With Modern Technology
Traditional dental exams or x-rays are still a valuable part of dental care, and the intraoral camera is a huge bonus. They allow for improved communication between dentists and their patients, increase the accuracy of diagnoses, and enable dentists to make dental procedures less mysterious to their patients. At Lakeside Dental in Folsom, we are committed to supporting the overall dental health for patients of all ages. From children coming in for routine checkups, to adults and seniors maintaining or improving their smiles, we want all our patients to feel confident about their care. To learn more or schedule an appointment, contact Lakeside Dental today!
