Intraoral imaging has long been proven and effective in dental practices and should be nearly as important as your handpiece and digital imaging equipment. In many instances, the intraoral camera is used to allow the patient to “see what you see”. A true 1080p HD camera with a 60-frames-per-second speed serves additional purposes beyond patient education.
True to Shade Images
Lab created restorations are intended to look as natural as possible and blend into the dentition esthetically. Nothing is more frustrating to dentists than a restoration that needs to be sent back to the lab because the color is off. The use of an HD camera, with adjustable lighting, allows dental providers to capture even the most crucial details including shade variations.
Esthetics are an art in dentistry-creating and restoring a natural looking and beautiful smile earns the trust of patients and potentially brings referrals to your door. Capturing the anatomy and contours of the dentition in fine detail allows the lab to create a restoration as natural in shape and shade as possible.
Get Claims Paid the First Time!
Dental insurance claims submissions are a necessary part of the business of dentistry. The administrative office spends an incredible amount of time submitting and following up on unpaid claims. Fracture lines and other dental concerns that make treatment necessary don’t always show the extent of damage from a radiograph, leading to claim denial. Submitting a 1080p HD image with the original claim, or preauthorization, increases the odds of the claim being paid the first time. The benefit of high-quality images to show definition and proof of necessity with claim submission can increase your treatment acceptance via preauthorization and be more efficient for the administrative team.
Do you Remember?
Do you remember exactly how a lesion looked two weeks ago from one patient to the next? If you are like most dental professionals, you will see many patients in that two-week timeline. Intraoral cameras are necessary to capture an image for reference and the use of an HD camera, such as the MouthWatch Plus+, will capture even the smallest detail and contrast to reference. Referrals to specialists can be made to include high-quality images.
Beyond oral lesions, intraoral images offer the ability to monitor dental conditions and restorations at each visit for changes. Fracture lines and failing restorations are often “watched” for a period of time before an official recommendation for treatment is made. Capture images, compare and share with the patient and you will likely find the patient will become invested in their own diagnosis and want to proceed with treatment sooner rather than later.
Patient Monitoring and Education
Intraoral imaging is a proven tool when it comes to patient education, behavior change, and treatment acceptance. Humans are visual learners-we need to see in order to understand the extent of treatment needs. When accompanied by intraoral images the value and urgency of recommended treatment are on visual display rather than relying upon conversations alone. The patient is not trying to look into your mouth mirror or imagine an abstract idea based upon your explanation. Intraoral cameras are an investment but an invaluable tool in clinical practice. Ask yourself, can you afford to not have an intraoral camera in practice? The return on investment, especially when it comes to HD applications will pay for itself almost immediately when considering time efficiency for team members and chair time applications.