Radiographic Appearance of Common Dental Diseases: Asst. Prof. Sana'a Jamal

RADIOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF
COMMON DENTAL DISEASES
Asst. Prof. Sana’a Jamal

1.Dental caries
2.Periodontal Diseases
3.Pericoronitis
4.Inflammatory lesions of the jaws
5.Fructures
6.Impacted tooth
1.Dental Caries
Dental caries is the common infectious disease strongly influenced by diet, affecting 95% of population.
Radiography is useful for detecting dental caries because the carious process causes tooth
demineralization.
The carious lesion (the demineralized area of the tooth that allows greater infiltration of x-rays) is darker (more radiolucent)
than the unaffected portion and may be detected on radiographs.
An early carious lesion may not have yet caused sufficient demineralization to be detected radiographically.
Intraoral radiography can reveal carious lesions that otherwise might go undetected during a thorough clinical examination.
A number of studies have shown the value of dental radiographs by repeatedly demonstrating that approximately half of all
proximal surface lesions cannot be seen clinically and may be detected only with radiographs.
Interpretation of Dental Caries (DC) regarding to its location
Interpretation of Incipient Occlusal DC:

Radiographs are usually not effective for the
detection of an occlusal carious lesion until it
reaches the dentin.
Interpretation of Moderate Occlusal DC

The moderate occlusal lesion is usually the
first to induce specific radiographic changes.
The classic radiographic change is a broad-

based, thin radiolucent zone in the dentin with
little or no changes apparent in the enamel.
PROXIMAL CARIES
Radiographic detection of carious lesions on the proximal surfaces of teeth depends on loss
of enough mineral to result in a detectable change in radiographic density.
Approximately 40% demineralization is required for radiographic detection of a lesion
Facial, buccal, and lingual caries
Facial, buccal, and lingual carious lesions occur in enamel pits and fissures of teeth. When small, these
lesions are usually round, as they enlarge, they become elliptic or semilunar.
They demonstrate sharp, well-defined borders. It is difficult to differentiate between buccal and lingual
caries on a radiograph.
ROOT SURFACE CARIES
(also called cementalcaries) involves both cementumand dentin. Its prevalence is approximately
(40% - 70%) in an aged population.
The tooth surfaces most frequently affected are in order, buccal, lingual, and proximal.
RECURRENT CARIES
Recurrent caries is that occurring immediately next

to a restoration.
It may result from poor adaptation of restoration,
which allows for marginal leakage, or from
inadequate extension of a restoration.
In addition, caries may remain if the original lesion

is not completely evacuated, which later may
appear as residual or recurrent caries.
The radiographic appearance of recurrent caries

depends on the amount of decalcification present
and whether a restoration is obscuring the lesion
2-Periodontal Diseases
The most common of periodontal disease are gingivitis and periodontitis.

Assessment of Periodontal Disease, contributions of radiographs Radiographs play an integral role in the
assessment of periodontal disease. They provide unique information about the status of the periodontium and a
permanent record of the condition of the bone throughout the course of the disease.
It is important to emphasize that the clinical and radiographic examinations are complementary. The clinical
examination should include periodontal probing, a gingival index, mobility charting, and an evaluation of the
amount of attached gingiva. Features that are not well delineated by the radiograph are most apparent clinically,
and those that the radiograph best demonstrates are difficult to identify and evaluate clinically.
Radiographic features of healthy periodontium
A healthy periodontium can be regarded as periodontal tissue

exhibiting no evidence of disease. However, to be able to
interpret radiographs successfully clinicians need to know the
usual radiographic features of healthy tissues where there has
been no bone loss.
The only reliable radiographic feature is the relationship between
the crestalbone margin and the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ).
If this distance is within normal limits (2-3 mm) and there are no
clinical signs of loss of attachment., then it can be said that there
has been no periodontitis
Radiographic features of periodontal disease
Acute and chronic gingivitis

Radiographs provide no direct evidence of the soft tissue involvement in gingivitis.
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is the name given to periodontal disease when the superficial inflammation in
the gingival tissues extends into the underlying alveolar bone and there has been loss of
attachment.
The destruction of the bone can be either localized affecting a few areas of the mouth, or
generalized affecting all areas.
The radiographic features of the different forms of periodontitis are similar; it is the
distribution and the rate of bone destruction that varies.
The terms used to describe the various appearances of bone destruction include:
• Horizontal bone loss
• Vertical bone loss
• Furcation involvements.
The terms horizontal and vertical have been used traditionally to describe the direction or
pattern of bone loss using the line joining two adjacent teeth at their cemento-enamel junctions
as a line of reference. The amount of bone loss is then assessed as mild, moderate or severe.
Severe vertical bone loss, extending from the
alveolar crest and involving the tooth apex,
The term furcation involvement describes the radiographic appearance of bone loss in the furcation area of the
roots which is evidence of advanced disease in this zone.
Although central furcation involvements are seen more readily in mandibular molars, they can also be seen in
maxillary molars l
3-PERICORONITIS
The most common radiographic feature of pericoronitis of mandibular third molar is that there is presence
of distal bone loss. This distal bone loss is semilunar or circumferential in shape.In the case of mesiallytilted
impaction, bone loss is present on the mesial side.
4-Inflammatory lesions of the jaws
inflammatory lesions are by far the most common pathologic condition of the jaws. When
the initial source of inflammation is a necrotic pulp and the bony lesion is restricted to
the region of the tooth, the condition is called a periapical inflammatory lesion.
When the infection spreads in the bone marrow and is no longer contained, it is called
osteomyelitis.
It must be emphasized that the names of the various inflammatory lesions tend to
describe their clinical and radiologic presentations and behavior;
Normal radiographic appearances
The appearances of normal, healthy, periapical tissues vary from one patient to another, from one area of
the mouth to another and at different stages in the development of the dentition.
Radiographic Features of periapical lesion
The radiographic features of periapical inflammatory lesions vary depending
on the time course of the lesion
A-Early lesion Early periapical inflammatory

lesions
may show no radiographic change in the normal bone pattern.
The earliest detectable change is loss of bone density, which
usually results in widening of the periodontal ligament space at the
apex of the tooth and later involves a larger diameter of
surrounding bone. At this early stage no evidence may be seen of a
sclerotic bone reaction.
B- Granuloma Periapical
are the most common periapical radiolucency’s
encountered in dental practice .Radiographically
the lesion is not fully dark but it has greyish
appearance with well defined borders , there is a
loss of lamina dura in relation with the affected
tooth , the size of radiolucency is less than 1.5
cm in diameter if the size larger so it consider
periapical cyst Granuloma Periapical Radiograph Image
C-Chronic periapical abscess D- Condencing ostitis Lesion
Radiographic appearance of the lesion is localized and present as increased band of

may be quite variable, the lesion may have radiopacity associated with root of the tooth
radiolucent appearance with ill-defined
borders and in this time it impossible to
differentiate from granuloma or cyst.
5-FRUCTURES
Radiographic signs of fractures The following are general signs that may indicate the
presence of a fracture of bone or tooth:
1. The presence of a radiolucent line (usually sharply defined) w
2. A change in the normal anatomic outline or shape of the structure.
3. A defect in the outer cortical boundary, which may appear as a deviation in the
smooth outline.
4. An increase in the density of the bone, which may be caused by the overlapping
of two fragments of bone
6-Impacted tooth
Accurate diagnostic imaging is an essential requirement to derive the correct diagnosis and optimal treatment plan, as
well as monitor and document the treatment progress and final outcome. Intraoral periapical occlusal and panoramic
films can provide this

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RADIOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF

COMMON DENTAL DISEASES

Asst. Prof. Sana’a Jamal

Interpretation of Incipient Occlusal DC:

Interpretation of Moderate Occlusal DC

The classic radiographic change is a broad-

Recurrent caries is that occurring immediately next

In addition, caries may remain if the original lesion

The radiographic appearance of recurrent caries

The most common of periodontal disease are gingivitis and periodontitis.

A healthy periodontium can be regarded as periodontal tissue

Acute and chronic gingivitis

A-Early lesion Early periapical inflammatory

Radiographic appearance of the lesion is localized and present as increased band of

1. The presence of a radiolucent line (usually sharply defined) w

2. A change in the normal anatomic outline or shape of the structure.

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