Intraoral cameras fall into three major categories: analog, digital and hybrid. Analog cameras were the first to appear on the market. They implemented the simple idea to show the images captured on a standard TV monitor. Since the image is directly transmitted from the handpiece to the TV screen, such cameras require special add-on equipment to store or print out images. Videorecorders can record image sequences on standard video tapes, and attached printers can print them on paper. Analog cameras do not provide the more rich and flexible functionality of digital intraoral cameras. However, they are appropriate for practices who are just getting started with the clinical use of computers, and who require a relatively simple intraoral camera setup ⁽¹⁾.

Digital cameras, on the other hand, are designed to be used with a computer. Instead of a TV monitor, they use the computer screen to display captured images. In addition, they provide many other functions, such as storage of images on the computer (usually together with other information about the same patient), image manipulation (for instance for esthetic dentistry), and flexible output (for instance to a printer or as part of an e-mail message). Digital images (and associated documentation) can be e-mailed to consulting colleagues or third-party payers, and shared between different operatories or offices equipped with a central server. The advanced functionality comes at a price, however. Unless the intraoral camera functionality is built into the existing computing application, getting the intraoral camera and software to work with the main computer application may require some effort. The enhanced functionality tends to make the whole system more complex, and requires more effort on the part of the dentist to learn it. Typically, dental software manufacturers offer a list of camera systems compatible with their programs.

Hybrid cameras merge the characteristics of both analog and digital cameras. They can display images on standard TV monitors as well as computers. Often, such cameras provide cables or base units with multiple types of connections. Because they are compatible with both TV monitors and computers, hybrid cameras provide flexibility. Often, they provide a backward-compatible solution for offices which are upgrading from analog to digital systems.