Forensic dental radiography 199
10.9 Radiographic Pitfalls and Tips
10.9.1 Skeletal and Carbonized Remains
Resected maxillas and mandibles require about 50% of the beam exposure
energy needed for normal tissue of the oral cavity. With skeletal and carbon-
ized tissues, beam energy should be reduced to 30%.
10.9.2 Issues with Duplicated Radiographs
Many dentists in the United States orient dental films on the view box and
in film mounts with the film’s orientation dimple facing upward or out. This
establishes the orientation of the film series as if the viewer is facing the
patient. However, a very common concern in forensic dentistry is the orien-
tation of duplicate antemortem radiographs where the dimple of the original
film can be seen but not felt. This can confuse the issue of the patient’s right
from left. The most reliable method of determining if the dimple was up at
the time of duplication is to consider the location of the bump relative to the
corners of the individual films themselves. Whenever the dimple is placed
upward or out on a film, its location will always be in the lower right or upper
left corner of the film when it is oriented horizontally (Figure 10.6). The letters
stamped on the film read correctly when the dimple is up or out when viewed
on the view box.
Figure 10.5 CBCt multiplanar images of the paranasal sinuses. may become use-
ful in victim identification. (Courtesy of dr. douglas Chenin, anatomage, inc.)