What is meant by radiation “dose” of X rays?
Radiation dose is a measure of how much energy is absorbed when something or someone is exposed to X-rays. This is important because it is this absorption of energy that can cause damage to a person. There are two commonly used ways of talking about radiation dose in dental procedures: dose estimated at the patient’s skin surface (correctly known as “entrance surface air kerma”) and effective dose. Dose estimated at the skin surface is easier to measure and is used in national surveys of X-ray equipment. Effective dose is complicated to calculate but the value can be related directly to radiation-associated risk.
