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Dentistry vocabulary · Examination and X-rays

X-ray

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

/ˈeks reɪ/nounCore term

In dentistry, X-ray means: An image of the teeth and bone made with a small dose of radiation. It shows problems the eye cannot see, such as decay between teeth, infection at a root tip or bone loss.

In Turkish: röntgen, radyografi, röntgen filmi

How it is used

The everyday word in clinic; reports and papers often say radiograph. You take an X-ray, and an X-ray shows or reveals something. It is also a verb: 'We need to X-ray that tooth.'

Example sentences

  1. Let's take an X-ray to see what's happening under that filling.

  2. The X-ray shows a dark area at the tip of the root.

Common collocations

  • take an X-ray
  • dental X-ray
  • the X-ray shows
  • X-ray report
  • bitewingAn X-ray that shows the crowns of the upper and lower back teeth together on one image. The patient bites on a tab or holder to keep the sensor in place.
  • periapical X-rayA small intraoral X-ray that shows one or a few teeth from the crown to the root tip, together with the bone around them.
  • panoramic X-rayA single wide X-ray that shows both jaws, all the teeth and nearby structures such as the jaw joints and sinuses. The machine moves around the patient's head.
  • CBCTShort for cone beam computed tomography: a 3D scan of the teeth and jaws that shows bone height and width, nerve canals and roots in detail.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Examination and X-rays

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.