George Freedman DDS

Constantin Varlan, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania

The dental profession’s preeminent success over the past century has been the creation of dental awareness through patient education. This idea has largely been achieved through diligent chairside education on a patient-by-patient basis. This awareness has, in turn, created a greater and more regular demand for dental services, resulting in an increasingly dentate population. The public (as well as the dental profession) takes these great strides in dental health for granted, but we must continue to inform, educate, and continually raise awareness if we are able to maintain the profession’s success for the next century.
The major driving force over the past 2 decades has been appearance-related treatment. As dental awareness has fueled the demand for aesthetic restorative dentistry, the major advances in restorative science have fostered an unpredicted interest in the direction of disease prevention and health maintenance.
Dentists in North America make more than one million professional contacts with their patients daily. This is an unparalleled opportunity to intercept problems early and to teach patients the principles and techniques for lifelong oral health maintenance. The single best educational tool, and the one most easily understood by patients (providing patients with a dentist’s eye view), is the intraoral camera. Communication is brought to a higher level, elevating patient confidence. In today’s “reality” world, patients expect to see clear demonstrations of their problems, delivered in a readily comprehensible format. They prefer to co-diagnose dental disease with their dental care providers, to co-evaluate corrective options, and to co-plan their dental treatment.
This level of patient involvement may be stressful for some practitioners, but increased comprehension motivates patients to understand and appreciate the need for dental treatment. It creates “want” patients who seek dental care electively and form the nucleus of most successful practices.
The intraoral camera is a powerful diagnostic tool, presenting tiny clinical details that may escape detection by magnifying loupes but stand out on the monitor. It must be available in the operatory, ready for routine use, educating and informing every patient at every appointment. The benefits of the intraoral camera are directly related to regularity of its use.
Current intraoral cameras provide high-quality images, offering ongoing documentation, visual monitoring of suspected disease, and marketing opportunities. Large hard drives (250 GB or more) provide image storing for an entire practice on a single server. The newest intraoral cameras tend to be plug and play, which are very simple to set up, easy to use, and highly intuitive.
The process of making patients more dentally aware is education rather than “marketing.” Educated patients are more informed and more efficient consumers of dental services for their own long-term benefit. The educated patient is also far more motivated, not only toward more comprehensive restorative treatments, but also toward at-home maintenance and regular recare appointments. With intraoral cameras, they can readily see the hard-to-reach areas where food and calculus deposit and how these deposits damage the hard and soft tissues. Live, close-up images are vivid reminders of the results that can occur if there is neglect.
Intraoral cameras take patient education and information to a higher level of imagery and impact and offer improved communication and better understanding in the patient-dentist relationship. It is not surprising that more than half of North American dentists have at least one intraoral camera in their office.

Air Techniques

The Polaris Intraoral Camera combines exceptional image quality and ergonomic excellence. The patent-pending 330˚ swivel head enables you to capture all angles with ease, and the rounded, ergonomic design makes Polaris easy to hold and operate. Polaris’s optical glass lens has tremendous depth of field. Objects from 4 to 25 mm are automatically in sharp focus. Two models are available to suit your needs: Polaris USB and Polaris Universal. For more information, call (800) Air-Tech or visit airtechniques.com.

DentAmerica

The CAMREX 192 Wireless Intraoral Camera has a built-in receiver with 4 separate frequencies for optimal signal re-ception. The receiver control box connects directly to a TV or computer monitor through AV or VGA input. A large-capacity lithium battery provides 3 hours of continuous use on a full charge. Mini head design allows for easy access to the third molar. Four white LED lamps provide maximum, realistic color reproduction. For more information, visit the Web site dentamerica.com.

Gendex Dental Systems

The GXC-300 utilizes high-quality optics and an adjustable focus to deliver virtually distortion-free images. Its high-speed USB connection eliminates docking stations. The automatic holster activation keeps the GXC-300 always ready to quickly and easily capture images. Combining the latest video technologies, this highly af-fordable camera is an exceptional tool for patient education, greater case acceptance, and improved patient communication. For more information, call (888) 275-5286 or visit gendex.com.

MyRay

C-U2 is a digital intraoral USB2 camera with an extremely lightweight, liquid-proof handpiece. Its surface is cleanable. The C-U2’s electronics are fully integrated in the handpiece, and the camera draws its power from the USB port. No intermediate electronic devices or power supply (docking station) is needed. The C-U2’s cable disconnects at the apex of the handpiece, giving it ultimate portability. C-U2 is USB 2.0 compatible with all recent Windows XP-based computers. For more information, call (800) 416-3078.

Sirona Dental Systems

SIROCAM 3 is a white-light LED intraoral video camera for effective patient communication and diagnostics support. A 3-position variable focal range can be used for close-ups, intraoral viewing (over-view and anterior teeth), and extraoral viewing (smile line and full face). The sophisticated lens system minimizes distortion and is controlled directly on the handpiece. Four-image memory capabilities are integrated directly into the camera, and image capture is controlled via the doctor’s foot-switch. For more information, call (800) 659-5977.

Imagin Systems

The new Ross Nash-endorsed camera features (1) a new “bright-light technology” that uses only 2 patent-pending solid state FF-LED elements to fully illuminate the entire image with no dark corners and (2) a patent-pending antifog feature that eliminates fogging. Image quality is stunning, showing cracks and fractures in intensively detailed color. The small-wedged tip houses a 90˚ viewing lens with a wide and flat field of view with no distortion. For more information, call (888) 478-4624 or visit imaginsystems.com.

SciCan

The intraoral ULTIMATE is one of the newest LED/fiber-optic cameras available in the dental marketplace. The LED source, located in the handle, transmits light through fiber-optic bundles to the camera head, allowing the ULTIMATE to remain cool and deliver a homogenous, true-col-or display. The slimline hand-piece will autofocus between 5 and 45 mm. The ULTIMATE camera plugs into an easy-to-use, dual-configured “smart box.” For more information, call (800) 572-1211.

Magnified Video Dentistry

Much more than an intraoral camera, the MagnaVu allows you to do most procedures while sitting up in a natural, ergonomic position, similar to medical surgeons, looking straight ahead at highly magnified images on a LCD display. This relieves most back, neck, and eye strain. Magna-Vu features a built-in freeze frame and mirrored image ca-pabilities, which will allow it to replace most cameras, operatory lights, and loupes. For more information, call (877) 556-6587 or visit the Web site magnavu.com.

Schick Technologies

The USBCam2 offers lightweight design, multiple mounting options for simple transference between operatories, convenient storage that combines with noise-free electronics, and increased image sensitivity to provide superb image quality. Eight high-quality LED lights provide outstanding image clarity and color, while an increased focal range results in clear, crisp images for extreme close-ups as well as full-arch. For more information, call (800) 873-7683.

SOTA Precision Optics

The i310D is a direct plug USB 2.0 digital intraoral camera with a high standard for image quality and reliability. One USB 2.0 cable is all you need to view “true-to-life” color images that are simply above the rest. A 2-year manufacturer’s warranty ensures customer satisfaction through SOTA’s team of experts. For more information, call (888) 266-SOTA or visit sotaoptics.com.

PracticeWorks

The KODAK 1000 Intraoral Video Camera does not require a video capture card to acquire and view images. Just plug the USB 2.0 docking station directly into the USB port on your computer. The plug-and-play capability of the docking station allows you to easily move the camera’s handpiece between multiple operatories. This feature eliminates the need for you to equip each operatory with a separate camera system. For more information, call (800) 944-6365 or visit kodakdental.com.

A-dec

Seamlessly integrated into A-dec de-livery systems, the SOPRO 717 by ACTEON combines video-assisted tooth shade definition with the advantages of a modern, high-performance camera. In order for the unique digital color definition to function even more reliably with the integrated SoproShade concept, ACTEON Group introduced 4 new adapters in 2009. Combined with a sleek designed distal section, the SOPRO 717 fits perfectly into all working environments without disrupting the way you work. For more information, call (800) 547-1883.

National Dental

The DocPortMacro USB 2.0 is a diagnostic-quality intraoral camera designed to provide the best images possible via a direct USB connection. It is the first intraoral camera to offer near-microscopic magnification via a fingertip macro (zoom) button located right on the camera handpiece. Even the minutest fractures are visualized in crystal-clear detail without the need to make any focus adjustments. For more information, call (800) 392-1171.

ACTEON North America

The SOPRO 617 camera has an elegant (curved) design to improve viewing access into the patient’s mouth. The 105° angle of view (a 15° increase) separates it from other cameras, allowing for better exploration of the distal areas while preventing any trauma to the mouth. Distortion is eliminated by way of its new optical system that’s equipped with an aspheric lens and the latest-generation LEDs. ACTEON North America also makes the SOPRO 717, which has a built-in shade-matching device. For more information, call (800) 289-6367.

CamSight

The Opti Intraoral Camera provides crisp, clear images using a LED light. Its sleek design makes it highly man-euverable, while its user-friendly approach and large depth of field make it practical and easy to use. It has a USB interface so dentists can easily plug the camera directly into any USB port on a computer or laptop. The Opti includes user-friendly CDMi Imaging Software. For more information, call (877) 477-2580 ext. 500.

MediaDent USA

The Snap Shot intraoral camera can be easily integrated into any dental unit. The handpiece holder can be attached anywhere and auto-matically controls the camera on-and-off mode by simply placing it in the holder or picking it up. Uti-lizing the latest in LED and autofocusing technology, the camera is very user-friendly. With its new 105° view, it can view the distal of molars in the mouth with ease. For more information, call (877) 770-8514, option 2 or visit mediadentusa.com.

RF America

The DiscoveryCam+ Intraoral Camera is both corded and wireless. The package includes the handpiece, dock SD, remote, SD card, cables, and a 1-year intraoral camera service plan. The DiscoveryCam+ is a 1.3-mega-pixel CCD imager creating crisp, high-quality images and is equipped with an anti-fog, nonspherical lens and an interchangeable single- and quad-mode image screen. For more information, call (800) 323-2690 or visit the Web site rfamerica.net.

Sigma Digital X-Ray

The new Bio-Ray USB Cam intraoral video camera is truly digital and it does not need an interface box or capture cards. Besides producing 1.3-megapixel images, Bio-Ray USB Cam also has an autofocus and direct connection via USB, making it extremely easy to use and a great solution for hygiene and patient education. For more information, call (800) 331-6077 or visit the Web site sigmadigitalxray.com.

DEXIS

The DEXcam 3 features an internal prism with 4 bright LEDs for optimal lighting and a 7-element glass optical lens plus a Sony CCD sensor for sharp, high-definition images that enhance patient education. Easy-to-operate camera controls are conveniently located on the lightweight handpiece. For more information, call (888) 883-3947 or visit dexis.com.

RFDENTIST

The Wand-WIRELESS will transmit real-time video from the camera handpiece to a video receiver box that plugs into any TV or PC through the USB port or video capture card. With a video receiver in each operatory, the camera can be carried in your pocket from room to room. Up to 16 images can be saved in the camera and reviewed with the patient. The pinhole lens is surrounded by 4 LED lights and the resolution is 1.36 megapixels. For more information, call (866) 646-3001.

Suni Medical Imaging

With its crystal-clear images and contoured shape, Suni-Cam II is the perfect diagnostic partner for early clinical detection and patient education. Its ergonomic design, ideal size, and light weight make it a comfortable fit for both clinician and patient. Its luminous LED lighting system, free-focus (fully automatic), and aspheric lens produce a distortion-free image. The camera’s 105˚ angle of view provides increased access to hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. For more information, call (800) 438-7864.

Digital Doc

The icon USB 2.0 camera truly fits the needs of today’s digital operatories without compromising the image quality that’s expected from Digital Doc cameras. It features an ergo-familiar handpiece design, dual-capture buttons that allow for ease of capture anywhere in the mouth, and a unique USB cable design that allows for seamless integration into the delivery unit. The icon also features light and power controls on the handpiece and a 3-position focus that removes any guesswork. For more information, call (800) 518-1102.