Dental radiography

Dental radiography uses X-rays to produce images of teeth, jaws, and surrounding oral structures. It reveals anatomy and disease that may not be visible during a clinical examination.

X-ray: Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths short enough to pass through many materials and produce ionization. Dental images form when X-rays pass through oral tissues and are absorbed at different rates.
Bitewing radiograph: An intraoral image that shows the crowns of upper and lower teeth together with adjacent alveolar bone. Bitewings are commonly used to detect decay between posterior teeth and assess bone levels.
Attenuation: The reduction in intensity of radiation as it passes through matter through absorption and scattering. Differences in tissue attenuation create contrast among teeth, bone, and soft tissues.
Radiation protection: Practices that limit harmful exposure to ionizing radiation while preserving its useful applications. Dental imaging balances diagnostic benefit against avoidable exposure.
Radiographic projection: An image formed by projecting transmitted radiation through a three-dimensional object onto a detector. Projection geometry determines how teeth and adjacent structures overlap in dental images.
Periapical radiograph: An intraoral image showing a tooth from crown to root tip and the surrounding bone. Periapical views help assess root disease, trauma, and treatment outcomes.
Radiographic contrast: The visible difference in image brightness between neighboring regions. Contrast affects how clearly dental structures and lesions can be distinguished.
ALARA: A radiation-protection principle requiring exposure to be kept as low as reasonably achievable. It guides dental choices about image count, technique, and exposure settings.
Intraoral radiograph: A dental X-ray image recorded with a detector placed inside the mouth. This broad image type includes the most common views of individual teeth and nearby bone.
Panoramic radiograph: A two-dimensional image showing both jaws, teeth, and nearby structures in a single curved projection. Panoramic imaging surveys broad anatomy that cannot fit into one intraoral view.

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