Radiologic exposure conditions and resultant skin doses in application of xeroradiography to the orthodontic diagnosis.

Xeroradiography is the recording of radiologic images by a photoelectric process rather than the photochemical one used in conventional radiography. In order to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of xeroradiography in the orthodontic field, minimum xeroradiologic exposure conditions for skull projections, Schüller's and oblique temporomandibular joint projections, and hand projections were established by thirteen examiners and the relationship between the image production and x-ray radiation was discussed in comparison with related findings obtained with conventional film techniques. The advantages of xeroradiograph were finer and clear images caused by the "edge effect" and wide latitude of xeroradiography; the main hazard was the unavoidable larger skin dose required by the projection procedures. The skin doses with xeroradiography were 2.4 to 16.2 times larger than those with conventional film techniques.