[Medical image enhancement: Sharpening]

Most digital imaging systems provide opportunities for image enhancement operations. These are applied to improve the original image and to make the image more appealing visually. One possible means of enhancing digital radiographic image is sharpening. The purpose of sharpening filters is to improve image quality by removing noise or edge enhancement. Sharpening filters may make the radiographic images subjectively more appealing. But during this process, important radiographic features may disappear while artifacts that simulate pathological process might be generated. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for dentists to be familiar with and aware of the use of image enhancement operations, provided by medical digital imaging programs.