Dental Radiography Technique Errors

Intraoral Radiography Errors

• Back side film projection (Herring bone defect): Main cause is the film packet being placed backwards in the patient's mouth.
• Printed dot artifact: Caused by the presence of dots on the film packet, correction involves using a new film packet or replacing the old one.
• Distortion: Corrected by using a parallel technique, ensuring the X-ray beam is perpendicular to the film, and the film is placed parallel to the tooth.
• Crowns cut off: Main cause is the beam not being centered over the film, resulting in the crown being cut off from the radiograph.
• Black line: Caused by the film being bent or curved, correction involves using a new film packet or straightening the film.
• Blurred image: Caused by patient movement or incorrect exposure time, corrected by taking a new radiograph with the patient held still and adjusting exposure time.
• RO artifact: Corrected by adjusting the X-ray beam angle, ensuring it is perpendicular to the film, and using a parallel technique.
• Phalangioma: Caused by the patient's finger or thumb being in the primary beam, corrected by keeping the patient's hands away from the beam.
• Double image: Caused by the patient moving during the exposure, corrected by taking a new radiograph with the patient held still.
• Dropped film corner: Caused by the film packet not being securely placed in the holder, corrected by ensuring the film packet is securely held in place.
• Apices cut off: Corrected by adjusting the X-ray beam angle, ensuring it is perpendicular to the film, and using a parallel technique.
• Area of interest not shown: Caused by the film not being placed correctly, corrected by ensuring the film is placed in the correct position to capture the area of interest.