A video series on dental photography packed with hands-on tips to help you take consistent, high-quality images that boost your documentation, improve patient communication, and showcase your work with confidence.

Clinical documentation is critical in dental practices. Its influence reaches beyond diagnosis and treatment planning to patient education and evidence-based research. Historically, this documentation has relied mainly on photographic recordings. However, in the present era of rapid technical breakthroughs, a paradigm shift has occurred from photography to videography, driven by the transition from digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras to mirrorless systems, which provide improved video capabilities. This article explores the technological journey from dental photography to videography, highlighting the need for revised and standardized clinical documenting methods to accommodate this changing landscape. It also includes a complete guide to maximizing the capabilities of mirrorless cameras and green screen technologies for the creation of high-quality video content. The essential element of protecting data privacy and security in the midst of these developments is also explored, providing a comprehensive view of the paradigm shift in dental clinical documentation.

La iluminacion es un factor clave para una buena fotografia. No solo determina la claridad y la oscuridad, sino tambien el tono, el estado de animo y el ambiente. Por ello, la eleccion de la fuente de luz y su aplicacion correcta son cruciales en fa fotografia dental. Las fotografias con flash son las mas frecuentemente utilizadas, ya que garantizan una buena iluminacion y resultados cromaticamente reproducibles. La posicion de las fuentes de luz y su orientacion permiten tomar imagenes adaptadas a la correspondiente situacion clinica. Los reflectores de luz especiales amplian adicionalmente el espectro de la fotografia dental.

Introduction This study evaluated the reproducibility of electronic color determination system evaluations of the marginal gingiva, which could be important for adhesive cervical fillings or prosthetic restorations that imitate the gingiva. Material and methods In 50 subjects, the L *, a *, and b * color coordinates were evaluated five times at a point in the marginal area of a central incisor using different electronic color determination systems: (SP) Shadepilot, (ES) Easyshade, (CE) Crystaleye, and (SV) X-Rite. The mean color difference (ΔE) and its standard deviation between the five measurements from each participant were calculated separately for each device. Further ICC for interdevice reliability was determined. Results The L *, a *, and b * color coordinates and ΔE values differed significantly among the systems ( p < 0.001). Within each patient and measurement system, ΔE ranged from 1.4 to 3.2 (SD 1.1–2.5), L * from 2.6 to 5.7 (SD 2.6–5.7), a* from 11.9 to 21.3 (SD 3.6–3.9), and b* from 15.1 to 28.9 (SD 1.7–4.3). Interdevice reliability ranged between 0.675 and 0.807. Conclusions Color determination of the marginal gingiva using the electronic tooth color determination systems tested herein showed limited reproducibility. The results obtained with the different measurement systems differed enormously. Clinical relevance These results show that the electronic color measurement devices tested allow no high reproducible determination of color coordinates of the marginal gingiva.

Nicht nur in der dentalen Fotografie ist die effektive Beleuchtung ein Schlüsselfaktor für ein gutes Bild. Verschiedene Lichtquellen gelangen hierzu zum Einsatz. Es ist wichtig, die Farbeigenschaften der Lichtquellen zu kennen und die Kamera ent- sprechend einzustellen. So lassen sich unerwünschte Farbveränderungen vermeiden. Die Beleuchtung ist ein Schlüsselfaktor für ein erfolgreiches Bild. Sie bestimmt nicht nur die Helligkeit und Dunkelheit, sondern auch Ton, Stimmung und Atmosphäre. Die Manipulation des Lichts, auch durch den Einsatz spezieller Filter, kann als diagnostisches Hilfsmittel bei der Behandlung eingesetzt werden.

Nicht nur in der dentalen Fotografie ist die effektive Beleuchtung ein Schlüsselfaktor für ein gutes Bild. Verschiedene Lichtquellen gelangen hierzu zum Einsatz. Es ist wichtig, die Farbeigenschaften der Lichtquellen zu kennen und die Kamera ent- sprechend einzustellen. So lassen sich unerwünschte Farbveränderungen vermeiden. Die Beleuchtung ist ein Schlüsselfaktor für ein erfolgreiches Bild. Sie bestimmt nicht nur die Helligkeit und Dunkelheit, sondern auch Ton, Stimmung und Atmosphäre. Die Manipulation des Lichts, auch durch den Einsatz spezieller Filter, kann als diagnostisches Hilfsmittel bei der Behandlung eingesetzt werden.

OBJECTIVEThe objective of this study was to compare the performance of visual shade matching and spectrophotometric measurements.MATERIALS AND METHODSA total of 100 observers matched pairs of corresponding shade tabs from two VITA classical A1-D4 shade guides. The tab identifiers on one shade guide were masked. Lack of visible color differences between the corresponding tabs was confirmed by means of an intraoral spectrophotometer. Means and standard deviations were calculated. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) (α = 0.05) with a Bonferroni correction was performed to detect significance of differences between groups.RESULTSA total of 72.5% of tab pairs (or 11.6 tabs) were matched using the visual method, and 98.9% were matched using the spectrophotometer (P < 0.001). Female observers showed significantly better results than male observers (P = 0.027). Both genders showed the highest visual scores in group B, followed by groups C, A, and D.CONCLUSIONSInstrumental shade-matching systems have the potential to improve color matching in dentistry. Results were influenced by gender.CLINICAL RELEVANCEThe dental spectrophotometer exhibited a significantly higher percentage of correct matches of corresponding shade tabs compared with conventional visual shade matching.

Compliance and adherence are multidimensional challenges. The terms adherence and compliance are, in fact, not synonymous. Compliance implies obedience to a directive, rather than a mutually agreedupon course of action.2 Conversely, adherence implies a more participatory process. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adherence as the extent to which a person’s behaviour—taking medications, following a diet, and/or executing lifestyle changes—corresponds with recommendations from a health-care provider.3 The WHO describes five interacting factors that affect adherence: social and economic, health-care teamand systemrelated, condition-related, therapy-related, and patient-related. Other considerations within these dimensions include: • knowledge of disease and its precursors; • previous levels of adherence; • ability to follow recommended behaviours; • perception of health/benefits of therapy; • availability of social support; and • complexity of treatment regimen.4

OBJECTIVES This in vitro study evaluated the accordance of dental color measurement devices with a Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE)-compliant reference system, by comparing the CIE lightness, chroma, and hue (L*C*h°) color coordinates of ceramic samples. METHODS Four color measurement devices: Vita Easyshade® Advance (A); DeguDent Shadepilot™ (B); X-Rite® Shadevision (C); and Crystaleye Olympus (D), were compared with a CIE-compliant reference system by recording the L*C*h° color coordinates of ceramic samples matching the tooth colors of the Vita Linearguide 3D-Master®, under standardized test conditions. Differences between regression lines for the dental color measurement device data and regression lines for the CIE-compliant reference system data were evaluated. RESULTS All devices offered high intraclass correlation coefficients (0.9771- 0.9999) for the L*C*h° color coordinates. The regression lines of the L* and C* coordinates for device A were steeper than those of the CIE-compliant reference system; the regression lines for devices B, C, and D were nearly parallel to those of the reference system, but with an offset. The regression lines of the h° coordinates for all devices were almost parallel to those of the reference system, with slopes near 1. Excluding the L* and h° coordinate measurements of device A, the measurements with the devices exhibited deviations from the reference system that were greater than those expected by chance (P < 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS The dental color measurement devices assessed here offered excellent reproducibility, but showed significant deviations from the CIE-compliant reference system regarding the L*C*h° color coordinates.