Dental Radiology - X rays
X rays are an important tool that help dentists to diagnose, plan treatments and monitor both treatments and lesion development. There are three types of dental radiological procedure: i) intraoral bitewing or periapical radiography (Figure 1); ii) panoramic examinations (Figure 2); and iii) cephalometric examinations (Figure 3). According to the [UNSCEAR Report] and [IAEA RS-G-1.5], dental examinations are the most frequent type of radiological procedure, and account for 21% of the total on a global scale. The estimated annual number of dental examinations is about 520 million, with a frequency ranging from less than one to more than 800 per 1000 population per year. Individual doses are small but collective doses can not be ignored due to the high volume of procedures. [EC-RP 136].
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| Figure 1. Intraoral radiography | Figure 2. Panoramic radiography | Figure 3. Cephalometric radiography |
References
- UNITED NATIONS Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation, UNSCEAR Report Volume 1, United Nations, New York (2000).
- INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Radiological Protection for Medical Exposure to Ionizing Radiation, Safety Guide, RS-G-1.5, IAEA, Vienna (2002).
- EUROPEAN COMMISSION, European Guidelines on Radiation Protection in Dental Radiology, RP 136, Luxembourg (2004).
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