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Radiographic Selection Criteria

Course Number: 584

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Historical and Clinical Indicators

The dentist can consider indicators such as caries risk as well as historical findings and positive clinical signs and symptoms to determine the need for dental imaging (Table 4).

Table 4. Historical and Clinical Situations Indicative of the Possible Need for Radiographs.1

Clinical Indicators
Positive Historical FindingsPositive Clinical Signs and Symptoms
  1. Previous periodontal or endodontic treatment
  2. History of pain or trauma
  3. Familial history of dental anomalies
  4. Postoperative evaluation of healing
  5. Remineralization monitoring
  6. Presence of implants, previous implant related pathosis or evaluation for implant placement
  1. Clinical evidence of periodontal disease
  2. Large or deep restorations
  3. Deep carious lesions
  4. Malposed or clinically impacted teeth
  5. Swelling
  6. Evidence of dental and/or facial trauma
  7. Teeth mobility
  8. Sinus tract/fistula
  9. Clinically suspected sinus pathosis
  10. Growth abnormalities
  11. Oral involvement in known or suspected systemic disease
  12. Positive neurologic findings in the head and neck
  13. Evidence of foreign objects
  14. Pain and/or dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint(s)
  15. Facial asymmetry
  16. Abutment teeth for fixed or removable partial prosthesis
  17. Unexplained bleeding
  18. Unexplained teeth sensitivity
  19. Unusual eruption, spacing or migration of teeth
  20. Unusual tooth morphology, calcification or color
  21. Unexplained absence of teeth
  22. Clinical tooth erosion
  23. Peri-implantitis
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