Abstract

Introduction: Dental photography has become nowadays an indispensable tool for everyday dental practice. Since it plays a crucial role in diagnosis and treatment planning, as well as laboratory communications and forensic documentation, the recorded information has to reach high levels of accuracy. Objective: Using a standard protocol for dental photography we have the possibility to reproduce the initial position, whenever necessary, during the dental treatment. Material and methods: In order to monitorize the patient’s position related to the Cartesian axes, we have used three water-level devices, two of them were fixed on a face shield frame and the other one on the camera. Discussion: Precise patient positioning during photo-session is fundamental not only to Digital Smile Design but also for a successful clinical documentation. All the data recorded is the base on which we will formulate the diagnosis, treatment strategies, and follow-up the outcomes. At this stage, any mistake will compromise the following steps, just like the “domino effect”. Conclusion: Standardized protocols, as part of quality management, are vital in creating controlled and replicable results. Extending the photographic protocol with these additional elements allows the dentists to use accurate patient recordings and facilitates the integration of dental photos in their everyday routine.

Authors and Affiliations