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Evaluation of smartphone dental photography in aesthetic analysis

British Dental Journal (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Aims To investigate the influence of the system used for digital photography upon the aesthetic analysis in dental medicine.

Materials and methods The aesthetic parameters were evaluated on photographs taken with different systems: two DSLR camera set-ups (DSLR + ring flash and DSLR + twin flash) and a smartphone-based system using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire.

Results Generally, the DSLR camera + twin flash photographic method performed the best with an overall average score of 4.3, receiving the highest scores for eight statements included in the questionnaire, followed by the smartphone-based system with an average score of 4.04 (the highest values for three statements) and DSLR camera + ring flash with an average score of 3.92 (the highest values for four statements). The scores recorded for the images taken with the DSLR camera + twin flash, DSLR camera + ring flash and smartphone-based system were significantly different for each statement (p <0.05).

Conclusions When analysing the characteristics of the dental arches and of individual teeth, images taken with the DSLR camera and twin flash photographic method received the best evaluation, while for the examination of the dentofacial relations and the gingival characteristics, the images obtained with the DSLR camera and ring flash setting, respectively, with the smartphone-based system were considered optimal.

Key points

  • Digital photography is considered a standard procedure in clinical dentistry, especially in complex cases where interdisciplinary procedures are involved or aesthetic analysis is required.

  • The use of additional light sources such as Smile Lite Mobile Dental Photography and technological updates are responsible for the improved results in dental photography with smartphones.

  • The perception of the images provided by the DSLR camera and twin flash photographic method, DSLR camera and ring flash photographic method and the smartphone-based system was different according to the aesthetic parameters analysed.

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Funding

This study was not funded by any grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Dental Materials, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Radu Lazar, Bogdan Culic, Cristina Gasparik & Diana Dudea

  2. Dental Private Practice, Gherla, Romania

    Camelia Lazar

Authors
  1. Radu Lazar
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  2. Bogdan Culic
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  3. Cristina Gasparik
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  4. Camelia Lazar
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  5. Diana Dudea
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Correspondence to Radu Lazar.

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Lazar, R., Culic, B., Gasparik, C. et al. Evaluation of smartphone dental photography in aesthetic analysis. Br Dent J (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3619-2

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