The Basics of Intraoral Imaging: Horizontal and Vertical Angulation

As discussed earlier, horizontal and vertical angulations are responsible for the way the teeth appear on the image. The process is a ‘balancing act' between covering the area of interest with radiation and having the active sensor in the radiation’s path. In this way, we create an image that shows the entire tooth, surrounding bone, and open interproximal contacts. Knowing the anatomy and the position of the teeth in the jaw is critical to producing a technically ideal image. Whether using a rod and ring alignment system or a simple sensor holder, the PID must be placed correctly over the desired area. The following pages (7 through 12) will teach the operator to critically evaluate the aiming ring’s position and the position of the sensor in the mouth and to know whether the PID should perfectly align with the aiming ring or not.