Dental photography in support of patient documentation and communication

Intraoral conditions, which in the course of dental treatment are subject to change, can be recorded in detail by means of photography. Pictures provide an improved documentation and the option of monitoring particular situations over longer periods of time. We propose a standardized preoperative 35-mm photographic series. For intraoral photography, special intraoral mirrors and lip-and-cheek retractors are modified as needed. Macro 35-mm cameras with macro flash are by now well-established. Such equipment combined with the technique outlined in this report make standardized photographic documentation possible without mouth-angle retractors and mirror rims obstructing the view.