radiograph reporting and the radiographic presentation of caries. Flashcards
What determines the different appearances on an X-ray image?
Attenuation on an X-ray beam
name some examples of things which appear opaque on x-rays?
Metal restorations
Enamel
Dentin
Out of dentin, cementum/bone and enamel, rank in order or most to least opaque
Most opaque is enamel
Then dentin
Then cementum/bone
What are the most lucent things on an X-ray?
Soft tissues
Fluid
Air
What colour is air and why?
All X-ray particles are reaching the plate/passing through
Appears black
What colour is radio-opaque?
White opaque
E.g. Enamel
What colour is radiolucent?
Black / darker
E.g. air
Ona radiograph, should you write down what is normal and abnormal?
Yes, write both
Why take a bite wing radiograph?
- DETECTION OF CARIES MONITORING THE
- PROGRESS OF CARIES
- ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING RESTORATIONS
- ASSESSMENT OF THE PERIODONTAL STATUS
What do you report when recording notes?
- Date and image was taken
- Grading and justification
- Right if left side
- Say what you see
- tooth and partial views
- bone levels (normal or otherwise)
- any restorations present, are they sound, size, type and location etc
- use alongside clinical examination
What are the first 2 ways to classify caries?
- Anatomical site
- Primary/secondary/residual
What is are primary caries?
Unrestored surfaces
What are secondary caries?
Adjacent to or under restorations
What are residual caries?
Demineralised tissue left behind before filling the tooth (usually uninflected, sound but stained dentin)
How do you classify carries after you determine the site and if it is primary/secondary?
Level of activity
Active/arrested
When do you see active caries?
Childhood… fizzy drinks or med
What are arrested caries?
Inactive lesions that are remineralised or partially remineralised
Many be brown spots or white spot lesion
Where do you find the pit/fissure caries?
Occlusal surface
How do you tell if caries are active?
Soft upon probing
Where is a susceptible zone on the posterior teeth?
Proximal zone
How much mineral has to be lost in order to see a change on a radiograph?
40-50% - the beam will not be well attenuated - areas appears darker
Why do caries appear darker on a radiograph?
Beam is not so well attenuated and area appears darker due to less mineral (pass through more easily)
Do caries appear better or worse than they actually are on a radiograph?
They appear not as bad as they actually are in real life
Not enough definition between light and dark zones
What factors can effect the appearance of caries on a radiograph?
Buccolingual thickness of tooth - the thicker the tooth the harder it I to see the extend of caries
Limitation in 2D film - the extend of buccolingual surface cannot be seen in this direction
