Dosimetric study of the effective doses resulting during dental X-ray and panoramic radiography

The panoramic image is one of the most commonly used radiographic examinations in dentistry, owing to its low dose and large area for evaluation, including bone and teeth in the same image. Although digital images are usually reported to deliver a lower radiation dose to the patient, conventional images are still available, especially in countries where digital systems are not widely economically available. Dentists should weigh the benefits of dental radiographs against the consequences of increasing a patient's exposure to radiation, the effects of which accumulate from multiple sources over time. The “as low as reasonably achievable” principle should be followed to minimize the exposure to radiation. The purpose of this investigation is to measure the absorbed radiation doses at 12 anatomical sites of a Rando-phantom and calculate the effective doses result from a full-mouth survey and panoramic radiography. Organ-absorbed doses are measured using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD 100) and effective or...