What are the types of Radiographs (xrays) that are taken?
• Periapical radiographs give us a full view of the tooth crown, roots and surrounding bone. They are excellent for diagnosing periodontal disease and pathology (abnormalities) around the teeth. They silver fillings show up as bright white, most composite fillings are light gray, the enamel that covers the tooth is a slightly darker gray, dentin that supports the enamel and makes up the root is a shade darker, bone is similar to dentin and the soft tissue of the pulp and gum tissue is the darker gray. Caries (decay) shows up as the darkest of grays, in most cases. • Bite Wing Radiographs are taken with you biting on an xray holder that positions the film half above and half below the biting plane. In that film, we can see just the crowns of the upper and lower teeth. It is primarily used to detect caries and get a sense of the periodontal bone level. • Both of the above radiographs can be taken with standard E-speed (fastest xray film speed available) or with an xray detector hooked up
