Radiography In Dental

Clinic
Presented by: Aya Rabie
Benefits of Dental Radiography in
Dental Clinic
 Detection and diagnosis of diseases, lesions& conditions
of teeth & bone that can not be detected clinically.
 Confirming suspected diseases, and assisting in
localization & treatment planning of lesions and foreign
bodies.
 Essential information during routine dental work as in R/C
treatment.
 Patient records& documentation of the condition,follow-up
of treatment and disease progress.

 Beneficial for the patient as it minimizes troubles and

problems during treatment.
the x-ray A wall-mounted or mobile
unit dental X-ray machine

The
imaging Dental X-ray film/ or filmless
receptor system

Proceed A method to develop the film

radiograph (or a digital dry system)
the x-ray unit
What to look for when
purchasing an x-ray unit?!!!!

Brands Shape Costs Color

Durability
Quality
Reasonable costs
Durability:
 What is meant
by Quality of a
Quality: Unit????

producing images with optimum

diagnostic qualities

An ideal image = a diagnostic radiograph with

optimum visual and geometric characteristics
Image Characteristics
Density
• Is the overall darkness of a radiograph.
• 1-Exposure time(direct)

• 2- mA(direct)

• 3-kVp(indirect)

• 4-Focal spot film distance (direct)

• 5-Subject thickness (2ry)

• 6- filteration

• 7- collimation
Any factor affect no.
of emitted photons
( or ) directly
from filament is
direct effect
• If all other factors are constant Direct
• Increasing Exposure time:

No. of photons

Density

Dark image
• If all other factors are constant Direct
• increase mA (more than required)

No. of photons

Density

Dark image
Exposure time and mA are considered
single factor
3-kVp (energy of the electrons)

• If all other factors are constant

• increase kVp (more than required)

increase velocity of e
Increase no of penetrating rays (short wave length)
More striking photons

Density

Dark image
 Shorter target-film distance (TFD)

No. of photons

Density

Dark image
 Inverse square law

The intensity of radiation varies inversely as square the

target-film distance.
 1- Subject density:
Type & amount of material
Depends on: (Enamel – Dentin – Pulp
– Bone – Restorations)
2- Subject size & thickness:

Larger patient’s size Requires more radiation

Optimum
density
Thickness of Al-------varies according to kVp
1.5 Al------------ up to 70 kVp
2.5 Al------------ up to 90 kVp

What happens if the reverse occurs?

• Increasing
filtration • Decreasing filtration
more than required less than required
will decrease the will decrease the mean
quantity of rays energy of the beam
(removal of high
energy x-ray) so will increase scatter
leading to decrease in radiation leading to fog
density and will affect density
indirectly
7. Collimation:
Increasing Decreasing
collimation collimation more
than required will
more than increase area
required will covered by x-rays
decrease the and thus increase
density scatter radiation
leading to fog and
will affect density
indirectly
 It is the differentiation between black, white &
grey shades.
 It is the difference in degree of blackness
(densities).

Long grey
Short grey
scale
scale

High contrast Optimum Low contrast

contrast
Scales of Contrast
High contrast=
few gray shades=
short gray scale

Low contrast=
many gray shades=
long gray scale
 CONTRAST
PRIMARY FACTORS

1-kVp (affects power of penetration (energy) )

kVp penetration absorption by tissue

So gives Long gray scale

==Low contrast
 Radiographs of an aluminum step wedge
taken at different kVp to demonstrate short
scale and long scale contrast
Which is better
high contrast or
low contrast
 Contrast
Differentiation between black, white & grey shades. •

Caries

Periapical
periodonta
 • For general use medium kVp(70-75) is selected

• higher contrast (low kVp (40))

is preferred for caries

• Lower contrast (high kVp(90))

is recommended for periapical and periodontal changes

 Geometric
Visual
1) Sharpness
1) Density
2) Size
2) Contrast
3) Shape
• The focal spot size should be as small as possible.

• Object to film distance (OFD) should be as small as possible.

• Source to object distance (SOD) should be as long as possible.

• The long axis of the object and the film planes should be parallel.

• X-ray beam should strike the object and film planes at right
angles.
• the capability of the radiograph to reproduce
• the smallest details of an object.

• The sharpness of the image depends on the

size of the penumbra.
 Penumbra
The penumbra is the zone of un-sharpness
along the edge of the image.

the larger the penumbra, the less sharp the

image will be.
Factors Affecting Image Sharpness
• A- Focal spot size
• B- Film composition
• C- Movement
The smaller the focal spot size
The sharper the image

A single point source of x-ray production

is impossible, why?
• The emulsion of faster film contains larger crystals that
produce less image sharpness, where as slower film-
contains smaller crystals that produce more image
sharpness.

• Unsharpness occurs because the larger crystals do not

produce object outlines as well as smaller crystals.
• unsharpness occurs if either the film or the patient moves
during x-ray exposure.
• Image magnification: a radiographic image that
appears larger than the actual size of the object it
represents.

N.B Magnification results from the divergent path

of the x-ray beam, so some degree of acceptable
Image magnification is present in every dental radiograph.
 Magnification can be reduced by:
1) Source – object distance.

2) Object – film distance.

unequal magnification of different parts of the same object.
 Intraoral Techniques
Paralleling Technique Bisecting Angle Technique
X-rays perpendicular to X-rays perpendicular
the teeth to the film
Ideal Geometric Relation
between Film, Tooth and X-ray
beam
Intra-Oral Dental Films
Periapical

Bitewing

Occlusal
Intra-Oral Dental Films
Sizes
Film Speed
Represents the amount of radiation
required to produce a radiograph of
acceptable density
The larger the size of these crystals,
The higher is the speed of the film,
The less the exposure time required,
The less is the sharpness of the image

 D E
F
Fast/ Ultra Ekta
Insight F
speed speed
 Manual Film
Processing
Automatic processing