From Volume 41, Issue 4, May 2014 | Pages 314-326
Dental radiographic imaging is slowly transferring to digital format. The decision to invest in this new technology should be based on a good understanding of the different types of digital imaging available within the dental field. This article outlines its use in general dental practice, highlighting the pros and cons of the various systems both for intra-oral and extra-oral radiography.
Since the early 1990s there has been a trend to move from film-based to digital radiography in medical radiology departments in hospitals throughout the NHS, such that it is now rare to find radiographic films in use. One drive for this revolution has been the huge economical gain that can be achieved by obviating the significant physical storage space required for the vast numbers of films generated. This move to digital imaging in the UK was made possible by funding from the Department of Health and advancements in technology allowing images to be electronically stored in a secure manner, for example using a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), which has become the mainstay of hospital radiology electronic storage. Subsequently, a system was been developed that now involves nearly all NHS Trusts in England allowing relatively simple sharing of radiographic images between clinicians in different parts of the country, thus allowing expert opinion to be easily sought, and avoiding the need for repeat radiography.1
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