Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
by Dr Claudia Lim, Port Lincoln Dental, SA
Many times, when describing things to patients, they have no idea what you’re talking about. The CS 1500 solves that problem beautifully.
What’s good about it
The CS 1500 is an intraoral camera that takes and displays high-quality images. On several occasions, patients have no idea picturing what a fracture line looks like or the extent of a cavity. I then find myself describing it verbally, but when I ask if they understand what I’m saying, they frequently answer with, ‘No, not really.’
Taking a photo and showing it to the patient allows them to perfectly visualise what I’m describing and solidify their understanding of the issue at hand. I strongly believe the support of visual images has really aided me in delivering the best possible consultation for the patient. This is especially helpful if they’re asymptomatic because they often think the proposed treatment plan is unnecessary. This also applies to showing the extent of a heavily restored filling. Patients have commented to me how useful they find being able to see what I’m talking about. In addition, it’s a great tool for showing treatment steps, and before-and-after images.
The handpiece is small, light and easy to move around in the mouth, even with patients who have small mouths. Once the image is taken, the system is set up so it appears on a screen that’s near the dental chair. They can see the result without having to move. There’s no doubt the CS 1500 has improved our rate of treatment acceptance.
What’s not so good
Sometimes, the image is slightly blurry as it can be tricky to focus. The camera focuses automatically; there’s no way to adjust it manually, so you have to move it around until it locks the image in.
