Dental Radiography

X-rays and Dental Imaging

• X-rays are a high-energy radiation produced by the collision of a beam of electrons with a metal target in an x-ray tube.
• Dental images are used in patient care to diagnose and treat dental problems, monitor treatment progress, and detect diseases.

Components of an X-ray Machine

• The main components of an extraoral x-ray machine do not include a developing tank.
• A bite-block is used to position the patient's jaw during dental imaging.
• A positioning device (PID) is used to help position the x-ray receptor in relation to the tooth.
• A collimating device is used to restrict the x-ray beam to the size of the receptor, reducing radiation exposure.

History of Dental Radiography

• Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered x-rays in 1895.
• Roentgen named his discovery "X-rays" because he did not know what they were.
• The Eastman Kodak Company manufactured the first prewrapped intraoral films in 1913.
• The first machine-made periapical film packets became available in 1913.
• Dr. Otto Walkhoff made the first dental radiograph in 1896.
• In 1947, F.Gordon Fitzgerald revived the technique of panoramic radiography.
• C.Edmund Kells contributed to dentistry by being the first to use dental radiographs in practice.

X-ray Machine Control Panel

• The control panel in a typical intraoral dental x-ray machine consists of a timer, a kVp and mA selector, and an exposure button.