Chapter 7 Dental X-Ray Equipment

Chapter 7 Dental X-Ray Equipment

An introduction to a variety of of intraoral and extraoral dental x-ray machines and the devices that go with them

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Performance Standards

Federal Standards

State/Local

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Intraoral and Extraoral Machines

Intraoral

Extraoral

Wall Mounted

Handheld

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Intraoral X-ray Machine

Components of a Wallmount

• Tubehead: aka tube housing, contains the tube that produces the dental x-rays

• Extension Arm: suspends the tubehead, houses all the electrical wiring, allows the radiographer to move the tubehead around the patient
• Control Panel: allows the radiographer to regulate the x-ray beam
• On-off switch and indicator light
• Exposure button
• Control device for time
• Control device for milliamperage and kilovoltage on some units

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Control Panel

On-off Switch: must be in the on position for an x-ray to be produced, the indicator light is on when the unit is turned onExposure Button: activates the machine to produce the x-rays, an exposure light turns on and a beep can be heard when the exposure button is pressedControl Devices:

• Timer: determines the length of time for the exposure
• Kilovoltage (kV): quality of the x-ray

• Milliamperage (mA): quantity of the x-ray

{most x-rays machines are preset for kilovoltage and milliamperage and cannot be adjusted in the dental office, exposure time can be adjusted by the radiographer in the dental office}

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Intraoral Handheld Machines

• Battery powered

• Lightweight
• Approved by the FDA
• Portable
• Not approved in every State
• Control Panel is on top of each handheld unit
• Limits operator exposure with a lead acrylic disc shield

Digidoc

Nomad

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Extraoral X-Ray Machine

• Used for panoramic (most common), cephalometric, skull imaging, and cone-beam computer tomography.
• The tubehead (x-ray producer) is mounted on one side and the sensor/detector is located on the opposite side.
• Patient stabilizing devices (ex. bite stick) ensure the patient is positioned correctly and also aid in keeping the patient still during exposure

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Receptor Holders

Used to hold and align intraoral dental sensors/film inside the patient’s mouth. Eliminates the need for the patient to hold the sensor in their mouth. Does not help align the tubehead while taking radiographs. Use with the bisecting technique for intraoral imaging.

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Beam Alignment Device

receptor holder

beam alignment device

Used to indicate the PID (position indicating device) position in relation to the tooth and the receptor. Help align the tubehead to the sensor in the patient’s mouth. These devices hold the sensor and align the tubehead while exposing a radiograph. Used with the paralleling technique for intraoral imaging. Red: Bitewing image Blue: Anterior image Yellow: Posterior image Green: Endo image (Root canal treatment)

arm

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Collimator

Used to restrict the size of the x-ray beam and limit radiation exposure. Typically used with a beam alignment device. The collimator is placed on the end of the PID on the tubehead. (ex. Tru-image x-ray positioning system) Some wall mount units are made with a collimated PID

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