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Role of radiographs in periodontal diagnosis
Radiographs are used as an adjunct to a thorough clinical examination in order to make a diagnosis and draw up a treatment plan. The details of national regulations governing the use of radiographs vary in different countries, but in principle they all seek to protect the workforce and general public and to limit the radiation dose to patients.
Patients are protected by application of the principles of justification and optimisation (Fig. 18.1):
• Justification of a medical exposure is based on the practitioner’s understanding of the hazards associated with taking a radiograph and the clinical information. Radiographs are justified when they can be demonstrated to have the potential to change the patient’s management.