In modern dentistry, high-quality clinical photography isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s essential. Whether you’re communicating with your dental lab, educating patients, or documenting cases, clear and colour-accurate images ensure the best possible outcomes.
At Australian Dental Labs, we see firsthand how accurate photos improve case matching, especially when it comes to shade and translucency. Here’s our expert guide to capturing images that give your lab everything they need to create precise restorations.
Why Clinical Photography Matters
When your lab can clearly see a patient’s tooth shade, high lip lines, surface texture, smile lines, and face shape, the results are:
- High accuracy
- Reduced remakes and chair time
- Better patient satisfaction
But getting that perfect shot isn’t as simple as pointing and clicking — it requires the right equipment, lighting, and camera settings.
Equipment Essentials
- Camera Body
While many modern smartphones boast impressive cameras, a DSLR or mirrorless system still provides the best consistency and control.
Recommended brands:
- Canon EOS R Series (e.g., R8 or R7)
- Nikon Z Series (e.g., Z6 II)
- Sony Alpha Series (e.g., A7 IV)
Look for a body that allows full manual control and interchangeable lenses.
- Lens Choice
For intraoral and close-up photography, a 100mm (or 105mm) macro lens is ideal.
- Macro lenses allow 1:1 magnification and deliver razor-sharp detail for tooth surfaces.
- Recommended models:
- Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS
- Nikon 105mm f/2.8G Micro
- Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS
A shorter lens (60mm) can also be useful for full-face or smile shots in tight spaces.
- Lighting
Consistent lighting is crucial for shade accuracy. Avoid overhead dental lights and ambient room lighting when possible.
Best options:
- Ring flashes: even, shadow-free illumination (great for intraoral shots).
- Twin flashes: more control over light direction and texture (ideal for showing translucency and surface contour).
Recommended systems:
- Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-26EX II
- Nikon R1C1 Wireless Close-Up Speedlight System
- Godox MF12 Twin Flash Kit (excellent value and flexibility)
Camera Settings for Shade-Accurate Images
Camera Settings for Shade-Accurate Images.
|
Setting
|
Recommended Range
|
Why It Matters
|
|---|---|---|
|
Aperture (f-stop)
|
f/22 to f/32
|
Ensures deep depth of field so all teeth are in sharp focus.
|
|
ISO
|
100–200
|
Keeps image noise low and colour tones clean.
|
|
Shutter Speed
|
1/125 – 1/200 sec
|
Syncs well with flash and eliminates motion blur.
|
|
White Balance
|
Set manually (e.g., “Flash” or custom calibration using a grey card)
|
Prevents colour shifts and ensures true shade representation.
|
|
File Format
|
RAW
|
Preserves all image data for accurate colour correction.
|
Composition Tips
- Full-face: Include the patient’s eyes for natural reference.
- Smile shot: Capture lips, teeth, and gingival margins.
- Intraoral frontal, right, and left views: Keep occlusal plane horizontal.
- Close-ups for shade: Use a shade tab held in the same plane as the tooth, labelled and angled correctly (not reflecting light).
- Occlusal mirrors: Use front-surface mirrors for upper and lower arch shots — fog-free mirrors ensure clarity.
PRO TIP: Take multiple exposures — one slightly overexposed, one correctly exposed, one underexposed — for best lab reference.
See examples below of the correct type of images.
EXTRA ORAL
PRO TIP: It is good to use a mirror on a wall that the patient can look straight into it and this helps to ensure their chin is parallel to the floor.
INTRA ORAL
PRO TIP: Focus on the canine teeth
Consistency Is Key
Your lab technicians depend on consistent, repeatable photography. Try to:
- Use the same camera and lighting setup for all cases.
- Keep patient positioning, camera distance, and angle uniform.
- Include a shade guide (e.g., VITA Classical or 3D Master) in every shade photo.
At ADL, we also recommend including a polarised photo (using cross-polarising filters) to remove reflections and reveal true dentine and enamel characteristics.
Bonus Tip: Streamline with Digital Dentistry
If your practice is already using intraoral scanning, integrating high-quality photographs into your digital case submission completes the picture.
Our technicians at Australian Dental Labs combine your images with scan data to refine shade and texture matching — resulting in restorations that fit seamlessly and look completely natural.
Quick Reference Summary
|
Component
|
Recommendation
|
|---|---|
|
Camera
|
Canon R8 / Nikon Z6 II / Sony A7 IV
|
|
Lens
|
100mm macro
|
|
Aperture
|
f/22–f/32
|
|
ISO
|
100–200
|
|
Shutter
|
1/125–1/200 sec
|
|
Lighting
|
Ring or twin flash
|
|
File format
|
RAW
|
|
White balance
|
Custom or Flash
|
|
Include shade tab
|
Always
|
Partner with ADL for Precision Results
At Australian Dental Labs, the better the photos you send, the better the results we can deliver. Our technicians use your clinical images to achieve lifelike aesthetics, accurate shade matching, and faster turnaround times.
Need help? Contact our team — we’re here to help you achieve outstanding clinical outcomes.
