| A | B |
|---|
| soft radiation | rays of low energy and long wavelengths that have little penetrating power |
| vertical angulation | the direction of the central beam in a right and left direction |
| horizontal radiation | the direction of the central beam in a right and left direction |
| dual film packet | contains two films instead of one |
| occlusal radiograph | film about the size of a large cracker that shows the entire arch in one film |
| intensifying screen | enhances the ability of a minimum amount of radiation to produce a diagnostic quality x-ray |
| contrast | the difference of lightness and darkness of a film |
| bisector | the imaginary line that bisects the angle formed by the film and the tooth |
| collimator | a diaphram, usually lead, designed to restrict the dimensions of the useful beam |
| cone cut | as error where the central beam is not directed towards the center of the film |
| distortion | the variation in the true size and shape of the object being filmed |
| elongation | the imaginary line that bisects the angle formed by the film and the tooth |
| foreshortening | a term used to refer to a misrepresentation of the image in which the tooth structure is shorter than its actual size |
| frequency | the number of crests of a wavelength passing through a given point per second |
| ion | an electrically charged particle; either positive or negative |
| kilovolt | a unit of electromotive force; high kV is essential in dental radiographs |
| maximum permissible dose | the most accumulated dose that person who are occupationally exposed may have at any given time in their life |
| milliamperage (mA) | one thousandth of an ampere; determines the number of electrons available at the filament |
| anode | the positive terminal in the x-ray tube head |
| cathode | the negative terminal in the x-ray tube head |
| radiolucent | the darkness on a film where the radiation can easily pass through |
| radiopaque | the lightness on a film there the radiation has a harder time passing through |
| cephalometric | also called a head plate and is the lateral image of the head usually used in orthodontics |
| radiosensitive | used to describe the degree of susceptibility if various cells and body tissues |
| number 0 film | pedodontic film |
| number 2 film | standard film |
| number 3 film | true bitewing film |
| number 4 film | occlusal film |
