Conclusion Dental radiographic examinations are valuable tools necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases. The risk of radiation exposure to the patient from dental diagnostic examinations is minuscule but real; furthermore, the effects of radiation are cumulative. Understanding the short- and long-term effects of radiation exposure on the human body should motivate dental professionals to use ionizing radiation judiciously. When dental radiographs are necessary, it is incumbent on the dental professional, particularly the dentist, to balance patient benefit with risk and to attend to the ALARA principle: to keep the dose as low as possible (Benn and Vig, 2021). In today’s dental setting, a number of methods are available for reducing the amount of radiation to which patients are exposed. Glossary ● Absorbed Dose : Measure of the radiation energy absorbed per unit mass of matter, regardless of the type of ionizing radiation or the type of matter; expressed in Gray (Gy) or radiation absorbed dose (rad) units. ● ALARA : Radiation safety principle that states that radiation exposure should be kept to a minimum; as low as reasonably achievable. ● Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) : Solid-state silicon chip detector that converts light or x-ray photons to electrons. ● Collimation : Restriction of the size and shape of the primary x-ray beam to reduce patient exposure and improve image quality. ● Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor : Solid-state silicon chip detector similar to CCD detectors but differing in pixels read-out and power requirements. ● Cosmic Radiation : Electromagnetic and particulate radiation emitted by the sun and stars; a form of natural radiation. ● Crookes Tube : A glass vacuum tube that lights up when electrons strike its inside walls. ● Cross-linking : Creation of side spurs by radiation exposure and attachment to adjacent macromolecule or portion of the same molecule; the joining of two molecules. ● Dental Radiographer : Qualified dental professional who positions, exposes, and processes dental x-ray image receptors. ● Dental Radiography : Production of radiographic images of the teeth and adjacent structures by the exposure of an image receptor to x-rays. ● Deterministic Effect : Biologic response in which the severity varies with radiation dose; a threshold dose exists. ● Diagnostic Image : High-quality radiographic image that accurately records the area of interest, is properly exposed, and has the necessary detail to render a diagnosis. ● Diagnostic Radiation : Human-made radiation used in the healing arts for the diagnosis and treatment of disease; typically associated with low- dose radiation exposures. ● Digital Image : Electronic image composed of pixels. ● Digital Imaging : Filmless, computer-based imaging technology that utilizes digital receptors for the acquisition, display, storage, and transfer of radiographic images. ● Dissociation : Process of disjoining, separating, or breaking apart. ● Dose : Amount of radiation absorbed by an irradiated object. ● Dose Limit : The maximum amount of radiation considered to be safe for an individual to receive. A dose limit can be prescribed for an organ or for the whole body. ● Dosimetry : Practice of determining the quantity and intensity of ionizing radiation exposure. ● Effective Dose : Sum of the weighted equivalent doses for the radiosensitive tissues and organs of the body; used to estimate risk; expressed in sieverts (Sv). ● Electromagnetic Radiation : Energy propagated by wave motion through oscillation between the electric and magnetic fields. These energies exist over a broad
Modern radiographic equipment – including digital imaging, optimal filtration and collimation, beam alignment devices, lead apron, and thyroid collar shields – all help to reduce radiation exposure to patients. A quality assurance program should be established in every dental office to ensure that high-quality radiographic images are produced with minimal exposure of patients and office personnel. All dental professionals should take seriously their roles and responsibilities in limiting their patients’ exposure to radiation. By arming themselves with the most current and accurate information, dental professionals can educate and advise patients about the benefits and risks of dental radiographic examinations and confidently answer patients’ questions and respond to their concerns. continuum, differ in wavelength and frequency, and include both nonionizing and ionizing forms. X-rays, gamma rays, and ultraviolet light are examples of ionizing electromagnetic radiation. ● Equivalent Dose or Dose Equivalent : Mean absorbed dose in a tissue or organ modified by the radiation weighting factor; used to compare the biologic effect of different types of radiation on tissue; expressed in roentgen equivalent man (rem) or sieverts (Sv). ● Exposure : Measure of ionization of air by x-radiation or gamma radiation; expressed in roentgens (R) or coulombs per kilogram (C/kg). ● Filtration : Use of aluminum and other metals to remove low- energy x-rays from the primary beam. ● Free Radical : Uncharged molecule that contains an unpaired electron in its valence shell. ● Heritable : Capable of being inherited as a genetic trait. ● Image Receptor : Device or recording medium in the form of film, solid-state detectors, or photostimulable phosphor plates used to capture a radiographic image. ● Indirect Effect : Radiation effect that results from the interaction of radiation with water and the production of free radicals. ● Ionization : Removal of orbital electrons from the atom, creating positive and negative ions or ion pairs. ● Ionizing Radiation : Electromagnetic or particulate radiation with sufficient energy to remove an electron from an atom and form an ion pair. ● Latent Image : Pattern of stored energy on an exposed film or plate emulsion made visible by processing. ● Latent Period : Amount of time between exposure to ionizing radiation and the appearance of observable biologic effects. ● Lead Apron : Protective shield made of lead or a lead- equivalent material, used to protect patient reproductive tissues from scatter radiation during dental radiographic procedures. ● Leakage Radiation : Form of secondary radiation emitted from the tubehead housing. ● Linear Energy Transfer : Measure of the rate at which energy is transferred from ionizing radiation to the irradiated tissue. ● Maximum Permissible Dose (MPD) : Dose of occupational radiation not expected to produce significant radiation effects or injury; dose limit. ● Natural Radiation : Environmental background radiation that includes terrestrial, land, and cosmic sources. ● Particulate Radiation : Radiation in the form of subatomic particles or particles emitted by radioactive decay of atoms; many subatomic particles are capable of causing ionization. ● Photostimulable Phosphor Plate (PSP) : Indirect digital image receptor that utilizes barium europium fluorohalide- coated plates to capture and store the latent image until it can be laser scanned to produce a digital image. ● Pixel : Picture element; the individual cell in a digital image matrix.
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