ABSTRACT
Photographs are an essential component of comprehensive orthodontic investigations; they may be taken as conventional colour photographs, Polaroid photographs, colour slides or digital photographs.1 Personal preference will dictate which of these formats you choose for your practice. Slides are invaluable for an individual who will use this material for lectures and teaching purposes, but unless they are projected, they are of limited value with regard to communication with the patient. Photographs on the other hand are excellent for patient communication but of limited value for lecture purposes. The advent of digital photography provides the clinician with the facility to use the material both for lecturing purposes as well as providing the facility to print a hard copy photograph for the patient to handle and appreciate.
