(A). Size 1
(B). Size 0
(C). Size 3
(D). Size 4
Keywords: six-year-old
- Size 0 is the smallest receptor and is used for children
- Size 1 is larger than size 0 and is used for children’s dentition and adult anterior teeth
- Size 2 is larger than size 1 and is used on adults (BWX and PA)
- Size 4 is used for occlusal exposure
A six-year-old child is usually bigger than a small child, therefore size 0 may be too small. Also at this age, the first molars begin to erupt. Therefore, between the two sizes of receptors indicated for children, the larger one is more appropriate.
Answer: (A). Size 1
Since we are talking about radiographs, should we learn a little more? What about the different intraoral imaging techniques? There are 4 main types of intraoral imaging that we can take, namely: periapical, bitewing, occlusal, and full-mouth-series.
- Periapical (PA): captures the crown, CEJ, root, and surrounding areas. Used mainly for diagnosis of periodontal disease, pathology, endodontic therapy, and implants.
- Bitewing (BW): captures crowns, contacts, and height of alveolar bone. Used mainly for diagnosis of dental caries (only interproximal). Vertical bitewings can detect early periodontal disease because the bone level is visible.
- Occlusal: captures bone surrounding the teeth, floor of the mouth, sialolith (stone), supernumerary teeth, etc. Useful when the patient has limited jaw opening.
- Full-mouth series (FMX): represent the entire dentition using a combination of PAs and BWs. The total number of images may vary according to the patient (but usually 16-18 images).
As mentioned in the explanations, it is important to understand that bitewings are usually indicated for the detection of caries while periapicals are indicated for periodontal disease detection. This is not clear cut science, but some basic information that can help us navigate through the dental hygiene board exams (NBDHE, NDHCE, WREB, CSCS) more easily. And of course, knowing this can help you become an excellent clinician!
If you have any questions about the NBDHE or NDHCE, I am always here at clairej@StudentRDH. I have taken both the NBDHE and NDHCE so I know what you are going through! Hang in there and keep pushing for “SUCCESS and NOTHING LESS!”
Mini Boards Reviews for the National + Local Anesthesia Dental Hygiene Boards. Weekly Sample Questions at www.StudentRDH.com. Find COMPLETE review courses too. “I wish I did not spend money on other review courses!” – Bethany, Bergen CC, March 2016