Xeroradiography and its application to dentistry

Xeroradiography is a highly accurate electrostatic imaging technique. In this technique a conventional single-phase dental x-ray unit is used as an x-ray source, but instead of a silver-halide film image, a uniformly charged selenium alloy plate housed in a light-proof cassette is used. In this article the equipment, procedure, properties and artifacts related to the xeroradiographic technique are described. An evaluation of the xeroradiographic images is also presented. Xeroradiography, which requires only about one-third of the dose required for conventional radiographs, is a valuable alternative to conventional radiography for detecting carious lesions, calculus deposits and periodontal disease. It is also of value in interpreting periapical structures.