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References

Mackenzie L, Sharland M. Dental photography: a practical guide. Dent Update. 2020; 47:802-811
Hardan LS, Moussa C. Mobile dental photography: an easy way for documentation and communication. Quintessence Int. 2020; 51:510-518

Technique Tips: Mobile Dental Photography (MDP)

From Volume 47, Issue 10, November 2020 | Pages 884-885

Authors

Louis Mackenzie

BDS, FDS RCPS FCGDent, Head Dental Officer, Denplan UK, Andover

General Dental Practitioner, Birmingham; Clinical Lecturer, University of Birmingham School of Dentistry, Birmingham, UK.

Articles by Louis Mackenzie

Mike Sharland

University of Birmingham School of Dentistry

Articles by Mike Sharland

Article

The applications for dental photography are continually growing. While digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras may be used to provide outstanding clinical images, the use of smartphone cameras is becoming increasingly popular (in common with all types of photography).

Regardless of equipment, the main dental photography challenges relate to the limited amount of available light within the oral cavity, particularly when photographing posterior teeth.

Progressive developments in Smile-Line technology (St-Imier, Switzerland) are designed to overcome these exposure difficulties. The original Smite-Lite device (Optident, Ilkley, Yorkshire) was designed as a natural light source (colour temperature 5500K) to optimize shade-matching and to enable calibration of camera phones against a grey scale.

The latest Smile-Line innovation is Mobile Dental Photography (MDP) (Optident, Ilkley, Yorkshire), which is a continuous light source that is designed to provide a versatile range of lighting options, enabling higher-quality smartphone images and providing a stable platform that fits most mobile phones (width range 55–85 mm). The camera phone is easily positioned so that the lens is in the centre of the MDP unit and is secured using the hex key provided (Figure 1).2

Figure 1. Mobile Dental Photography (MDP) equipment with accessories.

Familiarity with camera phone technology makes the MDP very easy to use. For most intra-oral photographs, the camera is held 10–12 cm from the subject and image framing, magnification and focusing are considerably simplified by the optimized lighting conditions (Figure 2).

Figure 2. User-friendly MDP photographic technique.

The MDP's central and lateral light sources may be used individually or in combination, and each light array may be adjusted to four different levels of intensity. The versatile system also includes two light diffusers (which may be magnetically attached to the lateral lights) and a polarizing filter, which attaches to the centre of the main unit. These accessories may also be used, individually or at the same time, to further modify lighting conditions or to create artistic photographic effects. The MDP requires no batteries and is mains charged.

Learning to use an MDP is very easy and quickly enables an introduction to dental photography. Figures 3–11 are examples of MDP images used to convey a range of diagnostic information taken with an iPhone (Apple Inc, Cupertino, California).

Figure 3. Anterior smile MDP image aids aesthetic diagnosis.
Figure 4. Anterior retracted MDP image (teeth in occlusion).
Figure 5. Mandibular full-arch occlusal MDP image (direct) (cheek retractors used).
Figure 6. Maxillary full-arch occlusal MDP image (mirror view rotated horizontally using image manipulation software) demonstrates a partially erupted left third. molar
Figure 7. Direct MDP image demonstrating ceramic onlay, crown and inlay restorations (cheek retractor used).
Figure 8. Close-up posterior occlusal MDP image demonstrating a fractured mandibular second molar (mirror view rotated horizontally using image manipulation software).
Figure 9. Close-up MDP image of the anterior palatal surfaces demonstrating fracture/repair of porcelain veneers (mirror view rotated horizontally using image manipulation software).
Figure 10. MDP photographic aesthetic assessment using a standardized guide to measure the width-length proportions of maxillary anterior teeth (Bioclear™, Optident, Ilkley, Yorkshire).
Figure 11. Photographs of maxillary anterior teeth using (a) MDP and contraster and (b) MDP, contraster and lateral diffusers to eliminate specular reflection.

The MDP's polarizing filter may be used to reduce the amount of reflected light. This facilitates analysis of the optical properties of anterior teeth, eg translucency/opacity and diagnosis of internal dentine anatomy. When taking polarized images, it is recommended to use the central light at full power with the lateral lights turned off (Figure 12).

Figure 12. (a) Non-polarized and (b) polarized MDP images used to analyse the optical properties of maxillary anterior teeth.

NB: When considering the use of camera phone technology for dental photography, detailed understanding is required with regard to consent, quality control, data protection, image storage and reporting (see ‘Dental photography: a practical guide’, this issue).1