Reasons for taking radiographs in general dental practice in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

This study investigated the reasons why dental practitioners at the Muhimbili Dental OPD clinic in Dar-es-Salaam take radiographs. Information was obtained from medical records at the Department of Dental Radiology for an eighteen month period, during which 28,171 patients were seen at the hospital, and of which 2,672 (9.48 per cent) were radiographed. The main reasons for taking radiographs (percentages) was to detect fractures (17.2), tumours (14.1), caries (12.5), impacted teeth (12.2), periodontal disease (11.3), and non-specific dental pain (10.4). Radiographs were also taken for orthodontic (7.0 per cent) and endodontic (6.8 per cent) reasons. Some of the reasons for taking radiographs such as hypersensitive teeth, apicectomy, neuralgia and xerostomia were previously unheard of, indicating an increasing diversity of dental services. In conclusion, there is a need to increase the utilisation of dental radiographs from the present modest level in order to meet the growing need of the increasingly informed dental population in Dar-es-Salaam.