Video imaging for planning and counseling in orthognathic surgery.

With the advancements of computer knowledge today, treatment planning and counseling are becoming more efficient by means of video imaging. Using a video image of a patient, esthetic and functional decisions can be made by the surgeon, orthodontist, and patient in a consensus manner. Distortion characteristics of video hardware, software, and the video camera are established, and adoption of imaging techniques is employed to maximize accuracy of the imaging process. Patients' attitudes toward video imaging concerning expectations, value of visual prediction, and degree of realism are also discussed. This study is intended to establish some of the basic goals of video imaging with general information in regard to hardware and software requirements.