Dental Radiography in the Dental Office

A mother has brought her 13 year old daughter to the surgery, expressing concern that the teenager's upper canine teeth have not yet erupted.  Which one of the following types of radiograph is most likely to be used in order to locate these teeth?

• Occlusal
• Bitewing
• Periapical
• Lateral skull

When a tooth is exposed to a beam of x-rays during dental radiography, it produces an image of various grey and white contrasts on a black background.  The tooth tissues absorb the x-rays at varying levels, depending on their mineral content. Which one of the following terms describes those tissues that absorb little of the beam?

• Fluorescent
• Radiopaque
• Radiolucent
• Translucent

An 8 year old child attends the surgery with a fractured upper right central incisor tooth following a blow to the face.  Which one of the following types of radiograph is most likely to be taken to assess the tooth?

• Orthopantomograph
• Occlusal
• Periapical
• Bitewing

A 30 year old patient attends the surgery for a routine dental examination, and bitewing radiographs have been taken.  The surgery has a manual processing system.  Which one of the following sequences ensures that the radiographs are processed correctly?

• Developer, fixer, wash
• Wash, developer, fixer
• Developer, wash, fixer, wash
• Wash, developer, fixer, wash

The dentist has taken a periapical radiograph of a patient's upper left canine tooth. After processing, the radiograph appears very pale and the tooth image is too faint to be seen properly.  Which one of the following processing faults is most likely to have happened?

• Developing time too long
• Fixing time too long
• Not washed thoroughly
• Developer solution too cold

What is the reason for the lead foil in the intra-oral x-ray film packet?

• Reflects x-rays onto the film
• Absorbs scatter
• Intensifies the image
• Allows the packet to be bent easily

Which one of the following options is the order of the x-ray film packet contents?

• Foil, paper, film, paper
• Paper, film, foil, paper
• Paper, foil, paper film
• Paper, film, paper, foil

A 20 year old man attends the surgery as a new patient.  He is complaining of pain in the lower left first molar when chewing.  Which one of the following types of radiograph is the dentist most likely to take?

• Bitewing

• Lateral skull
• Occlusal
• Periapical