Chapter 21: Bite-wing Technique

Question 1

Define the term: image receptor holder

Answer 1

a device used to hold an intraoral image receptor in the mouth and stabilize the receptor’s position during the exposure

Question 2

Define the term: alveolar crest / crestal bone

Answer 2

• the most coronal portion of alveolar bone found between teeth
• composed of cortical bone (appears radiopaque)

Question 3

Define the term: horizontal angulation

Answer 3

the positioning of the position-indicating device in a horizontal plane

Question 4

Define the term: positive vertical angulation

Answer 4

the positioning of the position-indicating device above the occlusal plane that directs the central ray downward

Question 5

When using the bite-wing technique, what does incorrect horizontal angulation cause on the image?

Answer 5

overlapped contacts

Question 6

Define the term: position-indicating device (PID) / cone

Answer 6

• an open-ended, lead-lined cylinder extending from the opening of the tubehead

*aims and shapes the x-ray beam

Question 7

Define the term: interproximal examination

Answer 7

an intraoral inspection used to examine the crowns of both maxillary and mandibular teeth on a single image

Question 8

Define the term: interproximal advanced caries

Answer 8

caries located between two teeth that extends to the dentino-enamel junction or through the dentino-enamel junction and into the dentin but does not extend through the dentin more than half the distance towards the pulp (appears radiolucent)

Question 9

Define the term: negative vertical angulation

Answer 9

the positioning of the position-indicating device below the occlusal plane that directs the central ray upward

Question 10

Define the term: mandibular teeth

Answer 10

teeth located in the mandible or lower arch

Question 11

Define the term: Rinn XCP instrument

Answer 11

• a type of beam alignment device that is used with the paralleling technique
• includes plastic bite blocks, plastic aiming rings, and metal indicator arms

Question 12

Define the term: interproximal caries

Answer 12

caries located between two adjacent teeth (appears radiolucent)

Question 13

Define the term: anterior

Answer 13

towards the front

Question 14

What modification may be made for a patient with extracted teeth when using the bite-wing technique?

Answer 14

the dentist may determine that the patient needs only one bite-wing image per side, if all present teeth can be captured in one image

Question 15

Define the term: intraoral

Answer 15

inside the mouth

Question 16

Define the term: bite-wing technique / interproximal technique

Answer 16

an intraoral imaging technique in which the interproximal surfaces of teeth are examined

Question 17

Why is positive vertical angulation needed for the bite-wing technique?

Answer 17

the +10 degrees compensates for the slight bend of the upper portion of the image receptor and the slight tilt of the maxillary teeth

Question 18

Define the term: vertical angulation

Answer 18

the positioning of the position-indicating device in a vertical plane

Question 19

Define the term: Stabe Biteblock

Answer 19

a disposable styrofoam device that can be used to hold an image receptor during exposure

Question 20

Define the term: Rinn Snap-A-Ray Holder

Answer 20

an intraoral receptor holder used to stabilize an image receptor during exposure

Question 21

Define the term: central ray (CR)

Answer 21

the central portion of the primary beam of x-radiation

Question 22

Define the term: parallel

Answer 22

moving or lying in the same plane; always separated by the same distance and not intersecting

Question 23

When using the bite-wing technique, what is the correct horizontal angulation of the central ray of the x-ray beam?

Answer 23

the central ray is directed perpendicular to the curvature of the arch and through the contact areas of the teeth

Question 24

Define the term: bite-wing receptor

Answer 24

an intraoral image receptor used to examine the crowns of both maxillary and mandibular teeth on one image

Question 25

When using the bite-wing technique, how is the central ray of the x-ray beam directed towards the image receptor?

Answer 25

the image receptor is directed through the contacts of the teeth, using a vertical angulation of +10 degrees

Question 26

Define the term: vertical

Answer 26

an up-and-down plane

Question 27

Define the term: beam alignment device

Answer 27

* a device used to align the position-indicating device in relation to tooth and image receptor * positions the intraoral image receptor in the mouth and retains the image receptor in position during exposure * helps stabilize the image receptor in the mouth and reduces the chances of movement, thus reducing the patient's exposure to x-radiation

Question 28

Define the term: interproximal severe caries

Answer 28

cares located between two teeth that extend through enamel, through dentin, and more than half the distance toward the pulp *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 29

Define the term: open contacts

Answer 29

on a dental image, appears as a thin radiolucent line between adjacent tooth surfaces

Question 30

Define the term: overlapped contacts

Answer 30

on a dental image, the area where the contact area of one tooth is superimposed over the contact areas of an adjacent tooth

Question 31

Define the term: object-receptor distance

Answer 31

* the distance from the object being imaged *(tooth)) to the image receptor influences image magnification * less image magnification results when the tooth and the image receptor are as close as possible, and more magnification results when the tooth and receptor are far apart

Question 32

When using the bite-wing technique, how is zero angulation achieved?

Answer 32

when the position-indicating device and the central ray of the x-ray beam are parallel to the floor

Question 33

Define the term: intraoral image

Answer 33

* an image the results when an image receptor is placed inside the mouth and exposed to x-rays * used to examine teeth

Question 34

Define the term: image receptor placement

Answer 34

the specific area where the image receptor must be positioned before exposure

Question 35

Define the term: horizontal bite-wing

Answer 35

the bite-wing receptor is placed in the mouth with the long portion of the receptor in a horizontal direction

Question 36

Define the term: vertical bite-wing

Answer 36

the bite-wing receptor is placed in the mouth with the long portion of the receptor in a vertical direction

Question 37

Define the term: horizontal

Answer 37

a side-to-side plane

Question 38

Define the term: posterior teeth

Answer 38

first and second premolars/bicuspids, and first, second and third molars

Question 39

Define the term: contact areas

Answer 39

the areas where adjacent tooth surfaces touch each other

Question 40

Define the term: interproximal

Answer 40

between two adjacent surfaces

Question 41

Why is a horizontal bite-wing commonly contraindicated for patients with periodontal disease?

Answer 41

the horizontal bite-wing may not extend far enough to show the amount of bone loss

Question 42

Define the term: perpendicular

Answer 42

intersecting at or forming right angles

Question 43

Define the term: bite-wing tab / bite loop / bite tab

Answer 43

a heavy paperboard tab or loop fitted around an intraoral image receptor during exposure

Question 44

When using the bite-wing technique, what is the correct vertical angulation of the central ray of the x-ray beam?

Answer 44

+10 degrees

Question 45

Define the term: interproximal moderate caries

Answer 45

caries located between two teeth that extends more than halfway through the thickness of the enamel but does not involve the dentino-enamel junction *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 46

Define the term: exposure sequence

Answer 46

a defined order to place and expose intraoral receptors

Question 47

Define the term: intraoral imaging examination

Answer 47

a dental imaging inspection of teeth and intraoral adjacent structures

Question 48

Are vertical angulations below the occlusal plane considered positive or negative?

Answer 48

negative

Question 49

Define the term: alveolar bone

Answer 49

bone of the maxilla and mandible that supports and encases the roots of teeth *(appears radiopaque)*

Question 50

Define the term: interproximal incipient caries

Answer 50

caries located between two teeth that extends less than halfway through the thickness of the enamel *(appears radiolucent)*

Question 51

When using the bite-wing technique what error can occur with an edentulous area if you do not place cotton rolls around the image receptor?

Answer 51

the bite-wing tab or the beam alignment device is not supported, and can result in a tipped occlusal plane on the image

Question 52

Are vertical angulations above the occlusal plane considered positive or negative?

Answer 52

positive

Question 53

Define the term: angulation

Answer 53

the alignment of the central x-ray beam in the horizontal and vertical planes

Question 54

Define the term: bite-wing image

Answer 54

intraoral image that is used to examine the interproximal surfaces of teeth

Question 55

Define the term: target-object distance

Answer 55

the distance from the source of x-rays *(tungsten target in the anode)* to the object being imaged *(tooth)*

Question 56

When using the bite-wing technique, how is the image receptor placed intraorally?

Answer 56

parallel to the crowns of both the maxillary and mandibular teeth

Question 57

Define the term: maxillary teeth

Answer 57

teeth located in the maxilla or upper arch