“Clear aligner treatments go much more smoothly when keeping adequate or better records.”
Good quality photos are essential. Get consent to use photos/ videos for education and marketing purposes so you can show your other patients how clear aligners could benefit them.
This is one of your best marketing and sales tools.
Consider the following:
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Any iphone (series 8 or above) will capture adequate quality photographs. Alternatively a DSLR can be used
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A ringflash or similar extra lighting is useful
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Consider putting a retractable, grey blind up on your clinic wall as a ‘ready to roll down’ background
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Always respect the integrity of your patients’ records
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Consider and plan your image storage and safeguard against susceptibility to data leaks
Steps to taking good quality control photos:
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Get organised beforehand
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Choose a solid, light background
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Stand in front of the person
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Centre the face/teeth in the photos
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To avoid shadows forming, the patient must not stand against the background
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Make sure long hair is tied back and out of the way of the patient’s face
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Make sure nothing is obscuring the patient’s teeth
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Take clear images that are not blurred
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Check the quality of the photo (focus & exposure)
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Ensure all teeth are present in the required photo
Extraoral photos:
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Profile repose
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Frontal repose
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Frontal smiling
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Intra-oral photos (with cheek retractors):
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Lower arch – open mouth
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Upper arch – open mouth
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Right buccal – teeth together
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Anterior – teeth together
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Left buccal – teeth together.
Happy Photographising !
