Radiographic Identification of Gold Threading: A clinical case study

Dental hygienists play a crucial role in oral health care through the acquisition and interpretation of radiographs. Certain cosmetic facial procedures involving metallic materials may be visible on dental radiographs. These materials may obscure anatomical structures and complicate interpretation, which is essential for dental procedure treatment planning. The dental hygienist needs to be able to differentiate these artifacts from pathological conditions. This case study describes a 28-year-old female patient with intraoral and extraoral radiographs demonstrating thread-like radiopacities consistent with gold threading. This report highlights the radiographic characteristics of gold threading, outlines clinical implications, and emphasizes the importance of professional awareness of cosmetic facial procedures that may influence radiographic image interpretation and complicate accurate dental hygiene care planning.