Dental Radiology Terms Flashcards

Amalgam, gold, stainless steel, porcelain, composite, and acrylic.

Absorb x-rays and as a result very little (if any) radiation comes in contact with the film and appears radiopaque. Examples are amalgam and gold.

May vary in radiographic appearance from radiolucent to slightly opaque depending upon the density of the material. Examples are porcelain, composite, and acrylic. Prcelain is the most dense and least radiolucent and acrylic is the least dense and most radiolucent.

Most common restorative material. It absorbs x-ray beam and prevents x-rays from reaching the film and appears completely radiopaque. Can be seen in a variety of shapes, sizes, and locations.

Pit amalgams. Appear as distinct, small, round, or ovoid radiopacities. May be seen on buccal, lingual, or occlusal surfaces.

Appear radiopaque and are characterized by their irregular outlines or borders.  May involve any tooth surface.

Extensions of amalgam seen beyond the crown portion of a tooth in the interproximal region.  Results from improper band placement arounda  tooth before the condensing of the amalgam restoration.  They appear radiopaque and easily visualized.  It disrupts the natural cleansing countours, traps food and plaque, and contributes to bone loss.  They must be removed to prevent destruction of interproximal bone.

Also known as amalgam scraps.  Inadvertently embedded in adjacent soft tissue during the restoration of a tooth.  They vary in size and shape and appear as dense radiopacities with irregular borders.  May be seen in any location where soft tissue is present.

Usually has smoother borders and appear completely radiopaque but can be difficult to differentiate from amalgam.  If patient is present, examine the patient for verification.

Radiopaque restorations with smooth contours and regular borders.  Gold inlays and onlays exhibit marginal outlines that appear smooth and regular.

Appear as small, round radiopacities and are indistinguishable from the one-surface restorations.  A two-surface gold foil restoration may appear similar to the gold inlay with smooth regular marginal outlines, or may exhibit slightly irregular margins and resemble the two-surface amalgam.

Prefabricated restorations that are usually used as interim or temporary restorations.  They are thin and do not absorb dental x-rays and appear radiopaque but not as densely radiopaque as amalgam or gold.  Their outlines and margins appear very smooth and regular.  They appear see-through on radiographs.

Seen in endodontically treated teeth.  It is cast metal and appears radiodense as amalgam or gold.  Appear radiopaque.  The core portion resembles the prepared portion of a tooth crown and the post portion extends into the pulp canal.

Appear slightly radiopaque and resemble the radiodensity of dentin.

Appear slightly radiopaque.  A thin radipaque line outlining the prepared tooth may be evident.  This thin line represents cement.  The radiodensity  appears identical to an all-porcelain bridge.