What lies beneath: taking and interpreting dental X-rays

Authors: Hawke C
Publication: Proceedings of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) Annual Conferences, Volume 2014 AVA Annual Conference, Perth, Issue Dental, May 2014
Publisher: Australian Veterinary Association

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Abstract: Taking diagnostic dental xrays and being able to interpret them are skills that many vets have not been exposed to in their undergraduate training, yet with the increasing use of dental radiology in general practice, they are becoming more important. Unlike radiography of the rest of the body, positioning for dental radiography can seem complicated due to the anatomy of the mouth. While the bisecting angle technique is the basis of dental xray positioning, it can be a steep learning curve to master this, and many frustrating hours can be wasted taking xrays that are not diagnostic (sometimes with no teeth visible at all!). The theory of the bisecting angle technique is covered in this paper, however many find it confusing. A simple guide to taking dental radiographs is also included to make dental radiology less daunting.

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