The flexmount ringlight: An inexpensive lighting solution for intraoral photodocumentation

ABSTRACT

Objective: To fabricate an inexpensive, reproducible and portable ringlight with flexible, quick-release mount for use with point-and-shoot consumer digital cameras in intraoral photodocumentation. Methods: Design: Instrumentation Setting: Tertiary Care Hospital Procedure: A commercially-available battery-powered mountaineer’s LED (Light Emitting Diode) headlight was converted into a portable ringlight with a flexible, quick-releasemount for intraoral photodocumentation. Results: The Flexmount Ringlight delivered an even and white illumination of the oral cavity and oropharynx at a working distance of more than 5cm from the subject in focus. It resulted in sharper pictures due to its constant illumination that assisted the camera’s autofocus system in getting accurate focusing intraorally. It also allowed the camera to use smaller apertures that have put more elements in focus and faster shutter speeds that have markedly reduced motion blur. Conclusion: The Flexmount Ringlight is an inexpensive, easy-to-assemble and portable ringlight that can be used in point-and-shoot consumer digital cameras. Its constant and even illumination resulted in reproducible, sharp, shadowless photographs of the oral cavity and oropharynx.