Optimal protocol for teleconsultation with a cellular phone for dentoalveolar trauma: an in-vitro study

PURPOSE Dental trauma is frequently unpredictable. The initial assessment and urgent treatment are essential for dentists to save the patient's teeth. Mobile-phone-assisted teleconsultation and telediagnosis for dental trauma could be an aid when a dentist is not available. In the present in-vitro study, we evaluated the success rate and time to transfer images under various conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed the image quality of cameras built into mobile phones based on their resolution, autofocus, white-balance, and anti-movement functions. RESULTS The image quality of most built-in cameras was acceptable to perform the initial assessment, with the autofocus function being essential to obtain high-quality images. The transmission failure rate increased markedly when the image size exceeded 500 κB and the additional text messaging did not improve the success rate or the transmission time. CONCLUSION Our optimal protocol could be useful for emergency programs running on the mobile phones.