First developed in 1987, the intraoral camera is a wand-like device with a tiny magnifying lens that projects a picture from inside a patient's mouth onto a screen. The image, which is magnified up to 40 times its original size, allows the dentist to see fractured enamel, gum recession, fracture lines in teeth, and breakdowns of restorations, and then also allows the patient to see the images. After these pictures are taken, dentists are better able to diagnose and recommend treatment plans for their patients. The pictures also can provide documentation for insurance companies.