Normal Radiographic

Anatomy-
Based on Intraoral Films
Teeth
Supporting structure
Maxilla
Mandible
Restorative Materials
 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

TEETH

Enamel, dentin, cementum,

Pulp, root canal

Enamelodentin junction

C-E junction

Normal and developing

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Cervical
burnout
Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Developing tooth

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE

Lamina dura

Alveolar crest

Periodontal ligament space

Cancellous bone

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE
Lamina dura

Thin R-O (radiopaque)

shadow bounding the sound
tooth socket
Wider & more dense in
teeth of heavy occlusion

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Double lamina dura in root

with two eminences (buccal &
lingual).
Intact apical lamina dura . a
vital pulp.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Alveolar crest

R-O line between teeth, gingival

margin of the alveolar process, cortical
border of the alveolar bone.

A point of bone in ant. teeth ; flat in

post.

CEJ to alveolar crest ...< 1.5mm

Recede apically with age

Markable resorption with periodontal

disease

Continuing with lamina dura and

forms a sharp angle Rounding
angle indicative periodontal disease
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Periodontal ligament space

R-L (radiolucent) space between

root & lamina dura

Width of PDL varied by individual,

teeth & location; thinner in the
middle of the root, slightly widened
near the alveolar crest & apex
.fulcrum of physio logical
movement of a tooth

Double PDL space ...created by the

shape of the tooth.
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Cancellous bone
(trabecular bone or spongiosa)

Thin R-O plates & rods

(trabeculae) surrounding many
small R-L pockets of marrow.

In ant. maxilla : fine, granular &

dense pattern, the marrow spaces
are small and numerous.

In post. maxilla : trabecular

similar to ant. maxilla, slightly
larger in marrow spaces.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Cancellous bone
In ant. Md.: thicker trabeculae , coarser
pattern; more horizontally oriented and
fewer trabecular plates, larger marrow
space.

In post. Md. : larger marrow space than

ant. Md.,horizontally oriented
trabecular plates and fewer trabeculae
number below the apices of Md. molars.
The distribution & size of the trabeculae
show a reversal relationship to the
thickness (and strength) of the cortical
plate.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

MAXILLA

Intermaxillary suture

Anterior nasal spine

Nasal fossa

Incisive foramen

Sup. foramina of the

nasopalatine canal

Lateral fossa

(Nose)

Nasolacrimal canal

Maxillary sinus

Zygomatic process and

zygomatic bone

(Nasolabial fold)

Pterygoid plates WWC

 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Intermaxillary suture (median palatal suture)

A R-L line in the midline of the Mx. from alveolar crest between central
incisors superiorly through ant. nasal spine , continues posteriorly the Mx.
palatine processes to the post. aspect of hard palate.

Limited by two R-O borders of thin cortical bone in each Mx

A small rounded or V-shaped enlargement R-L at the alveolar crest .

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Anterior nasal spine

On periapical film of the maxillary

central incisors.

In the midline; about 1.5 ~ 2 cm above

the alveolar crest, at or below the
junction of the inf. end of the nasal
septum and inf. outline of the nasal
fossa

V-shaped R-O .
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Nasal fossa

R-L image on intraoral

radiograph of maxillary
teeth

The inferior border

appears as a R-O line
extending bilaterally away
from the base of the
anterior nasal spine.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Nasal septum

R-O image arising in the

midline from the ant. nasal
spine , is a superimposition of
septal cartilage & vomer
bone.

Inferior nasal concha

From lateral wall toward the

septum

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Incisive foramen
(nasopalatine or anterior palatine foramen)

R-L image between roots of the

central incisors

Oral terminus of the

nasopalatine canal transmits
the nasopalatine vessels &
nerves ; approximately the
junction of the median palatine
& incisive sutures.
Incisive canal cyst :
enlargement of the foramen &
canal , > 1cm
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Superior foramina of the nasopalatine canal

Two R-L areas above

the apices of the
central incisors in
the nasal cavity floor,
on both sides of the
septum, round or
ovoid shape

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Lateral fossa (incisive fossa)

A gentle depression in the maxilla near the

apex of the lateral incisor diffusely R-L

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Nose

Superimposed on the anterior

maxilla

A slightly opaque appearance

with sharp border

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Nasolacrimal canal
Near apex of the canine

Steep vertical angulation

in periapical radiograph

Routinely seen on
maxillary occlusal
projection in molar
Lesser palatine
region . foramina

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Maxillary sinus

An air-filled cavity with mucosa lining

Three-sided pyramid, base & the

medial wall adjacent to nasal cavity,
apex extending laterally into zygomatic
process of Mx.
(1) superior wall the floor of the orbit
(2) anterior wallextending above the
premolar
(3) posterior wallbulging above molar
& tuberosity

Bilateral symmetry

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Thin R-O line near apices of upper

premolars & molars

Enlarge during children , until 15-18y/o ,

may change during adult life in response
to environmental factors (ex. missing
teeth)

In puberty, the floors of the Mx. sinus &

nasal cavity may be present at the same
level, and may extend farther into the
alveolar process in older age, below the
nasal cavity floor in the post. region of Mx.
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Inverted Y in the canine

or premolar region in the
periapical radiographs.

Roots apices may cause small

elevations into the floor of the
sinus. Lamina & floor of the
sinus may fuse as a thin layer
of bone covering the apex.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Nutrient canals or grooves

Thin R-L lines of uniform width within lateral
sinus wall, accommodate the posterior superior
alveolar v. and superior alveolar n.

Septafolds of cortical bone projecting away

from the floor and wall of the antrum, usually
vertically oriented . Complete septa did infact
divide the sinus into individual compartment in
1-10% .

Bony nodulesA normal variant of the floor

of the maxillary sinus, homogenous R-O, with
trabeculation , and blend with adjacent bone.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Zygomatic process and zygomatic bone

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Zygomatic process and

zygomatic bone

Zygomatic process of the Mx:

Extension of lateral Mx. surface, arises in
the apical area of the 1st & 2nd molar,
articulation for the zygomatic bone.

U shaped R-O line on the periapical

radiographs.

The inferior part of the zygomatic bone

extends posteriorly from infer. border of the
zygomatic process of Mx, a uniform gray or
white R-O over the apices of molars .
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Nasolabial fold

An oblique line on the

periapical radiographs of the
premolar region, and the area
of increased R-O is posterior
to the line .

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Pterygoid plates

Medial & lateral pterygoid

plate lie immediately posterior
to the tuberosity , almost
always cast a single R-O
homogenous shadow without
evidence of trabeculae if
apparent on the intraoral film
Hamular process : extends
downward from the medial
pterygoid plate.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

MANDIBLE

Symphysis

Genial tubercle

Mental ridge

Mental fossa

Mental foramen

Mandibular canal

Nutrient canals

Mylohyoid ridge

Submandibular gland fossa

External oblique ridge

Inferior border of mandible

Coronoid process
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

MANDIBLE
Symphysis

In infant, a R-L line through

the midline of the jaw

The suture usually fuses by

the end of the first year of
life, then no longer
radiographically apparent.
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Genial tubercle (mental spine)

Spine shaped bony protuberances

Midline lingual surface of the

mandible, above the inferior border.

Well visualized on standard Md.

occlusal film as one or more
projections; as a R-O mass (3-4mm in
diameter) in the midline below the
incisor roots.

Lingual (spinous) foramen : A

small R-L dot surrounded by the
cortical wall of the termination of
incisive branch of mandibular canal.
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Mental ridge

R-O lines sweeping bilaterally

forward and upward toward the
midline on periapical film of the
Md. central incisors.

Mental fossa

A R-L depression on the anterior

surface of the mandible between
the alveolar ridge and mental
ridge.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Mental foramen

Anterior limit of the inferior

dental canal on the
radiographs.

Round, oblong, slitlike or very

irregular and partial or
completely corticated.

Between the lower border of

the mandible and the alveolar
crest, usually in the apex of the
2nd premolar.
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Mandibular canal

A dark linear shadow with thin

R-O superior and inferior
borders cast by the lamella of
bone that bounds the canal

Apparent between the

mandibular foramen & the
mental foramen and may close
contact with all molars and 2nd
premolar.
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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Nutrient canals

R-L lines of fairly uniform width with

hyperostotic borders

Running vertically from the inf. dental

canal to the apex of tooth or into the
interdental space between Md. incisors.

Visible in 5 % patients, esp. in blacks,

males, older persons, and individuals
with high blood pressure or advanced
perio. disease.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Mylohyoid ridge
(Internal oblique ridge)

A bony crest on lingual

surface of the mandibular
body, attachment of
mylohyoid muscle.

Running downard and

forward from the area of
3rd molar to premolar at
the level of apices.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Submandibular gland fossa

A depression immediately
below the mylohyoid ridge in
molar region, above the
inferior border of the mandible

Accommodates the submand.

gland a R-L area with
sparse trabeculae , poorly
defined anter. & posteriorly

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

External oblique ridge

A continuation of the ant. border

of ramus a line of attachment
of buccinator m.

A R-O line near the alveolar crest

in the mandibular 3rd molar
region.

Inferior border of mandible

A dense, broad, R-O band

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

Coronoid process

Frequently apparent on
periapical film of the
maxillary molars region

A triangular R-O, with

apex directed superiorly
& anteriorly.

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 Normal Radiographic Anatomy

RESTORATIVE MATERIALS

Complete R-O : silver amalgam,

gold, silver points

R-O : stainless steel pins, calcium

hydroxide base , gutta-percha
stainless steel crown,
orthodontic appliance

R-L : silicates, composite , porcelain

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Normal Radiographic Anatomy

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Normal Radiographic Anatomy

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