Variations in film exposure, effective kVp, and HVL among thirty-five dental x-ray units

Speed group "E" dental films were exposed in thirty-five dental x-ray units and processed under rigidly controlled conditions. The exposure, in milliroentgens required to produce an overall film density between 0.85 and 1.05 density units at the 9 mm. step of an aluminum step-wedge, ranged from 94 to 186 mR. The wide range in normalized exposure required to produce a standard density of 1.0 was associated with half-value layer and effective operating kilovoltage in only a general way. The half-value layer of thirty-five dental x-ray units ranged from 1.9 to 2.9 mm. Al, and their effective operating kilovoltages ranged from 62 to 77 kVp when units were set at 70 kVp. The exposure required to produce a specific radiographic density depended largely on the individual characteristics of the x-ray unit used.