Radiolucency Flashcards
What is a radiolucency
A darker area on a radiograph
Why do radiolucencies occur?
Due to:
- Thinning or hard tissue relative to the adjacent area
- Reduced hard tissue mineral
Why does caries use a radiolucent area in the tooth
Due to reduction of mineral content
What can cause a radiolucency in dentistry
- Normal anatomy
- Artefact
- Pathology
Give examples of normal anatomy that appear radiolucent on a radiograph
- Maxillary antrum
- Mental foramen
- Submandibular fossa
Does overexpose or underexposure lead to a more radiolucent image
Over exposure
How do we describe a radiolucency
- Position/ site
- Size
- Shape
- Locularity
- Margin
- Effect on adjacent structures
What does odontogenic mean
Derived from the dental tissues
How do describe the relationship of a radiolucent to dentition/ a tooth
- Periapical
- Pericoronal
- Radicular
What does Periapical mean
At the apex
What does pericoronal mean
Around the crown
What does radicular mean
Related to the root
What words do we use to describe the margin of a radiolucency
- Corticated VS Moth eaten
- Well defined vs ill-defined/ indistinct
- Smooth vs punched out
Describe margins of a radiolucency that suggest a slow benign growth
- Corticated
- Well defined
- Smooth
Describe margins of a radiolucency that suggest rapid more infectious or malignant growth
- Moth eaten
- Ill defined/ indistinct
- Punched out
What can radiolucencies surrounding teeth suggest
- Resorption
- Displacement
- Delayed eruption
- Loss of associated lamina dura
List some pathological causes of radiolucencies
- Cysts
- Tumours
- Bone related lesion
- Bone diseases
What are cysts split into
Odontogenic or non odontogenic
What can odontogenic cysts be split into
- Inflammatory
2. Developmental
What are tumours split into
Benign vs malignant
List bone bone relates lesions that can cause radiolucencies
- Giant cell lesion
2. Cemento osseous dysplasia
List bone bone diseases that can cause radiolucencies
- Osteoporosis
- Sickle cell disease
- Hyperparathyroidism
What Is a cyst
A pathological cavity within the tissues
Describe cysts
- Can be filled with fluid, semifluid or gas
2. Usually lined by epithelium
Are cysts caused by an accusation of pus
no but they can become secondarily infected with pus
What can epithelial lined cysts of the jaws be split into
odontogenic vs non odontogenic
What can odontogenic cysts of the jaw be further split into
Inflammatory vs developmental
List some epithelial lined odontogenic inflammatory cysts of the jaw
- Radicular
2. Residual
List some epithelial lined odontogenic developmental cysts of the jaw
- Dentigerous
- Keratocyst
- Lateral periodontal
List some epithelial lined NON odontogenic cysts of the jaw
Nasopalatine duct cyst
List some non epithelial lined cysts of the jaw
- Solitary bone cyst
2. Aneurysmal bone cyst
Talk through the symptoms of a cyst
- Frequently asymptomatic
- Patient may be aware of swelling or numb
- Can be painful if secondarily infected
How are cyst usually diagnosed
As an unexpected incidental finding on a radiograph
Name the most common type of cyst
Inflammatory cysts
Where do radicular cyst form
At the apex of a non vital tooth
Name the most common cyst of the jaw
Radicular cysts (70%)
What can radicular cysts be mistaken for on a radiograph
Periapical granuloma
How can be begin to differentiate a periapical granuloma from a radicular cyst
Size
The bigger the radiolucency the more likely it is to be a radicular cyst
Describe how radicular cysts present on a radiograph
- Round, unilocular, smooth and well define
- Continuous with lamina dura of the affected tooth
- Adjacent teeth displaced
- Buccal expansion
What is a residual cyst
A radicular cyst remaining following extraction of the tooth
Describe how a residual cyst may appear on a radiograph
Unilocular, well defined and corticated