What's an Intraoral Camera? An intraoral camera is a tool your dentist uses to examine your mouth in as detailed a way as possible. Sometimes it is difficult for patients to fully understand the condition of their teeth in the same way the dentist does, while this device works. The instrument, which may look like an oversized pen, has a camera that takes high-resolution footage or images of a patient’s mouth and shows the visuals real-time on a monitor—they’re like high-tech versions of the hand mirrors you see in your dentist’s practice.

The intraoral camera is not just a diagnostic tool, but it also serves as an educational one too. Dentist understands symptoms and conditions thoroughly, but it’s often difficult to explain precisely what is happening in a patient’s mouth using just a mouth mirror, which is small and hard to see, or an x-ray image( also can be taken by dental x-ray machine), which takes time to print and doesn’t display images clearly. Patients are also less likely to defer or refuse procedures when they can clearly see the area at issue, as some people are suspicious of recommendations for dental procedures, due to concerns about cost, potential pain, or the fears about members of the dental profession.

When the dentist uses an intraoral camera during your examination, however, you’re seeing exactly what he or she sees right then. Dentists can display clear, colorful images, allowing them to point out any issues and discuss them with you immediately. A general dentist might use an intraoral camera to take images of a tooth or area of the jaw which requires oral surgery so that a maxillofacial surgeon can examine the information before he or she meets the patient to get an idea of the kind of surgery which might be required. You’ll certainly learn a lot about your mouth! And the more you see and understand, the more confident you can be when making treatment decisions.

If you want coverage for a treatment, your insurance provider often needs visual proof of your condition. Just as the high-resolution images show you exactly what’s happening in your mouth, they do the same for your provider, bolstering your treatment case. And again, because print or digital copies are so quickly available with an intraoral camera, it saves time for you, your dentist, and your provider, making your treatment run smoother.

The intraoral camera is very small and approximately the size of a pen. Because of its small size, the camera can reveal images of the teeth from angles previously unseen. All exams using the intraoral camera are completely sanitary, as a different disposable camera cover is used on each patient every time. Images from the intraoral camera may be digitally stored, printed or disposed of following an exam.