Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

Every course of orthodontic treatment is usually preceded by the preparation of jaw models, clinical photos, a panorama X-ray and a side-view X-ray of the skull. Unlike in the past, taking at least eight photos both before and after treatment is seen as very important today. These normally consist of three portrait pictures and five pictures of the mouth which are taken using a digital camera. Pictures of the mouth can show any inflammation of the gum, decalcification of the teeth, faulty fillings or any problem with the tongue much better than a jaw model can, so they are of great value in planning treatment and educating the patient. At the end of the treatment patients can be show the before- and after-photos so that they can compare them: there is nothing which shows the results better!