This article is sponsored content brought to you by KaVo.
By John Flucke, DDS
Over the past 20 to 30 years we have seen tremendous improvements and advantages in increasing our ability to visually educate our patients. Intraoral cameras meant that for the first time, patients could see their oral health conditions and better understand our explanations of our diagnoses as well as the solutions we offered.
The KaVo DIAGNOcam Vision Full HD allows the dental team to capture intraoral photos, transillumination photos, and caries fluorescence photos all with a single device.
Intraoral Imaging
We all know the value of a good, clear intraoral photo for communication with patients as well as for diagnosis and recordkeeping. Most surgeries use an intraoral camera multiple times a day.
KaVo built in a constant autofocus that instantly brings things into focus and renders them without distortion. You can easily take a photo of a second molar and then take a full-face extraoral photo a moment later, and both images are rendered perfectly with no distortion. Simply point the camera at the target, and it is instantly in focus and ready to capture. Whether it’s a single tooth, a quadrant, a smile, or full face, this device does it all.
Transillumination Imaging
Most surgeries using transillumination are doing so with small bright lights utilizing visible white light. They are like tiny flashlights that can be placed to illuminate the interproximal area. The problem with this approach is that because they are bright by design, the light pollution often makes things hard for the doctor to visualize clearly.
The DIAGNOcam Vision Full HD uses near-infrared (NIR) illumination instead of white light for this process. In the product photos, you can see what appears to be 2 small arms on the device. These arms go over the tooth to embrace it from the buccal and lingual aspects, and they contain fiberoptics that deliver this NIR from both sides of the target tooth. NIR harmlessly penetrates the tooth more effectively than white light and with no light pollution. These images are just as clear as the intraoral ones, and they can be shared with the patient to explain the findings.
Transillumination is a great tool for finding lesions too small to be found on x-rays. It’s a tremendous tool for early diagnosis, pediatrics, and pregnant patients. It is also a tremendous tool for monitoring remineralization therapy.
Transillumination is also a useful tool for locating cracks in teeth and decay under sealants and restorations. Conservative doctors will find this device a wonderful adjunct for their patients.
Fluorescence Imaging
The third function the device delivers is fluorescence imaging. The bacteria that cause decay create a metabolic byproduct that glows (fluoresces) under certain wavelengths of light. The DIAGNOcam Vision Full HD has LEDs that emit these wavelengths. The image created by this wavelength causes healthy enamel to have a light-green color, similar to the skin of a green apple. Areas of active caries glow with a red color, allowing for quick identification of their presence.
If lesions are found when small, restorations can be small and potentially done with no anesthetic while preserving tooth structure. Being able to find active caries early also helps prevent the placing of a sealant over an area of active caries.
Wrapping Up
The KaVo DIAGNOcam Vision Full HD is an amazing device. Not only does it provide high-quality images in all modalities, but it also streamlines treatment. The efficiency of gaining all this information in a short amount of time means that surgeries can obtain more diagnostic information than ever before and still maintain the efficiency of a digital workflow.
Contact your KaVo specialist today for a demonstration in your surgery: scan the QR Code
