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Dental Radiology Glossary

105 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026

Stafne Bone Cavity

Advanced Technical IVT

A developmental bone concavity on the lingual surface of the posterior mandible caused by a submandibular salivary gland inclusion, presenting radiographically as a well-defined, corticated, unilocular radiolucency below the mandibular canal.

Showing 1–24 of 105

ALARA

Intermediate Technical IVT

An acronym for 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable,' the guiding radiation protection principle requiring that patient expo...

Abbreviation Full entry →

Alveolar Bone

Basic Technical IVT

The portion of the maxilla and mandible that forms and supports the tooth sockets (alveoli), visible on dental radiograp...

Technical Term Full entry →

Ameloblastoma

Advanced Technical IVT

A benign but locally aggressive odontogenic tumour that typically presents radiographically as a multilocular radiolucen...

Technical Term Full entry →

Ankylosis (Dental)

Advanced Technical IVT

Fusion of the tooth root cementum and/or dentine directly to the surrounding alveolar bone, with loss of the intervening...

Technical Term Full entry →

Anterior Nasal Spine

Intermediate Technical IVT

A bony projection at the base of the nasal septum, visible on periapical and cephalometric films as a sharp radiopaque l...

ANS
Technical Term Full entry →

Apical Periodontitis

Intermediate Technical IVT

Inflammation of the periapical tissues resulting from pulpal infection or necrosis, presenting radiographically as widen...

Technical Term Full entry →

Artefact (Radiographic)

Basic Technical IVT

Any structure, density, or distortion visible on a radiographic image that does not correspond to an actual anatomical f...

Style Convention Full entry →

Beam Hardening Artefact

Advanced Technical IVT

A CBCT image artefact caused by preferential absorption of lower-energy X-ray photons as the beam passes through dense s...

Technical Term Full entry →

Bisecting Angle Technique

Intermediate Technical IVT

A periapical radiographic projection method in which the X-ray beam is directed perpendicular to an imaginary line that...

Technical Term Full entry →

Bitewing Radiograph

Intermediate Technical IVT

An intraoral X-ray that shows the crowns of both upper and lower posterior teeth and the crest of the alveolar bone on a...

Technical Term Full entry →

CBCT Voxel

Advanced Technical IVT

The smallest three-dimensional unit of data in a cone beam computed tomography volume, analogous to a pixel in two-dimen...

Technical Term Full entry →

CCD

Basic Technical IVT

Abbreviation for Charged Couple Device, a solid-state digital sensor used for real-time intraoral image capture in direc...

Abbreviation Full entry →

Cephalometric Radiograph

Advanced Technical IVT

A standardised lateral or posteroanterior extraoral X-ray of the skull used primarily in orthodontic and orthognathic su...

Technical Term Full entry →

Cervical Burnout

Intermediate Technical IVT

A radiographic artefact producing a false appearance of radiolucency at the cervical margin of a tooth, caused by the ge...

Technical Term Full entry →

Charged Couple Device

Intermediate Technical IVT

A solid-state electronic sensor used in direct digital dental radiography systems to capture X-ray images in real time.

Technical Term Full entry →

CMOS

Intermediate Technical IVT

Abbreviation for Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor, a type of direct digital sensor used in intraoral dental radio...

Abbreviation Full entry →

Condensing Osteitis

Advanced Technical IVT

A focal area of increased bone density (radiopacity) at or near a root apex, typically in response to chronic low-grade...

Technical Term Full entry →

Cone Beam Computed Tomography

Advanced Technical IVT

A three-dimensional dental imaging modality that uses a cone-shaped X-ray beam to produce volumetric data of the maxillo...

Technical Term Full entry →

Cone Cutting

Basic Technical IVT

A radiographic projection error in which part of the image receptor is not exposed because the collimated X-ray beam has...

Technical Term Full entry →

Coronoid Process

Intermediate Technical IVT

The anterior projection of the mandibular ramus that can appear as a triangular radiopacity superimposed on the maxillar...

Technical Term Full entry →

Cortication

Intermediate Technical IVT

The presence of a well-defined radiopaque (cortical bone) rim surrounding a radiographic lesion, indicating a slow-growi...

Technical Term Full entry →

Cross-Sectional Imaging

Intermediate Technical IVT

Any radiographic modality that produces images representing slices through the body in planes other than conventional tw...

Technical Term Full entry →

DAP

Intermediate Technical

Abbreviation for Dose Area Product, a radiological quantity expressing total beam energy incident on the patient, measur...

Abbreviation Full entry →

Density (Radiographic)

Intermediate Technical IVT

The overall degree of blackening or brightness of a radiographic image, determined by the quantity of radiation reaching...

Technical Term Full entry →
Showing 1–24 of 105

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