Maxillary Periapical Imaging and Nasal Anatomy Quiz

Bone Structure

• The dense outer layer of bone is compact bone.
• Cancellous bone is composed of a network of trabeculae and bone marrow.

Radiodensity

• Compact bone resists the passage of the x-ray beam and appears radiopaque on a dental image.

Bone Projections

• A linear prominence or projection of bone is an example of a crest.
• A small bump or nodule of bone is an example of a tubercle.
• A rounded prominence of bone is an example of a condyle.
• An opening or hole in bone that permits the passage of nerves and blood vessels is an example of a foramen.

Nasal Cavity

• The radiopaque area that appears as a V-shaped structure located at the intersection of the floor of the nasal cavity and the nasal septum is the nasal spine.
• The wafer-thin, curved plates of bone that extend from the lateral walls of the nasal cavity are called turbinate bones.

Sinuses

• The maxillary sinuses are located superior to the maxillary premolar and molar teeth.

Dental Image

• The intersection of the maxillary sinus and the nasal cavity as viewed on a dental image is called the nasal cavity floor.

Mandibular Structures

• The structure that appears as a radiolucent area in the molar region below the mylohyoid ridge on a mandibular periapical image is the submandibular fossa.

Density

• The densest structure found in the human body is the enamel of a tooth.

Radiopaque Structures

• The dense radiopaque line that surrounds the root of a tooth on a dental image is the lamina dura.
• The alveolar crest tends to appear less dense and less radiopaque on a dental image, especially in the posterior region.

Foramen and Fossae

• The lingual foramen is a communication between the mandible and the mylohyoid nerve.
• Nutrient canals contain blood vessels and nerves that supply the tooth.
• The mental ridge is a bony prominence on the buccal surface of the mandible.
• The mental fossa is a depression on the buccal surface of the mandible.