What’s new in digital photography?

Digital photography has become ubiquitous in modern society and its importance in dentistry is unquestionable.3,4,5,9 This assertion is confirmed by the fact that the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to the inventors of the charge coupled device (CCD).10 Although this technology dates back to the 1970s and the first digital camera was launched in the market in the 1990s, the clinical use of this tool in dental offices has become a reality in the early 21st century.5,11 CCD allows users to view photographs on the spot, eliminating film and film development costs while systematic image management can be performed in the clinic. These features have combined to make this novel digital system extremely attractive.3,6 Another advantage lies in CCD’s image manipulation and editing capabilities, which streamline interpersonal communication, ensuring successful results. 2,8 Figures 1 and 2 show examples of digital manipulation assisting in outcome prediction and clinical procedure planning, respectively. Although historically the introduction of this resource in dental practice is a recent phenomenon, digital cameras have become commonplace in most orthodontic offices. However, increasing market pressures to sell modern cameras with higher resolutions pose some important questions: What’s new in digital photography? Are the “latest” cameras that boast more and more megapixels (MP) our best choice? What’s the best suited resolution for orthodontic photography? Due to the lack of literature in this area, it might prove convenient to provide some clarification so that orthodontists can learn about the technical and scientific reasons for taking advantage, as much as possible, of the benefits of digital photography.