ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the various imaging modalities used in dentistry as well as their risks and benefits. Indications for using intraoral, panoramic, cephalometric, and cone beam CT (CBCT) are detailed, and ideal and commonly encountered dose ranges are given for each modality. Intraoral imaging (bitewings and periapicals) comprises the bulk of imaging in dentistry, over one billion examinations annually. Panoramic imaging is also widely used, with several hundred million examinations annually. CBCT is a relatively new and rapidly growing imaging modality in dentistry, with a wide variety of indications. As much as dental pathology is hidden from view and quiet initially, imaging is essential in diagnosis and treatment planning for the dental patient. Radiation risks from correctly indicated and acquired intraoral and panoramic images, where doses are extremely low, are minimal, almost negligible, and are far outweighed by the benefits to the patient. Doses and risks from CBCT are highly variable, dependent on the field of view and machine presets, and range from as low as a pair of bitewings to doses greater than craniofacial multidetector CT. Thoughtful use of selection criteria, acquisition using ideal techniques, and mindfulness of as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) principles are essential to good imaging practice in dentistry.
