Errors

ERROES AND ARTIFACTS

A- TECHNIQUE ERRORS
1-Film placement errors
a- Apices Cut Off (no apices appear on the film)
Cause: The film was not positioned apically enough to record the entire tooth

b- Dropped Film Corner (the occlusal surface appears tipped)

Cause: The edge of the film was not placed parallel to the incisal occlusal plane as a result occlusal plane appears tilted on radiograph.

c- REVERSED FILM ( Herring bone pattern)

Cause: The film was placed in the mouth backward and then exposed.

d- DOUBLE IMAGE:

Cause: The film was exposed in patient mouth twice as a result double images appear on the radiograph.

E- Curved And Film Bending (images appear stretched and distorted)

Cause: The film was bend excessively owing to the curvature of hard palate as a result stretched and distorted images are seen on the film.

f- FILM CREASING: Thin radiolucent line appears on the film

Cause: The film was creased and film emulsion cracked as a result thin black line appears on the film.

G-PHALANGIOMA (Patient’s finger appears on the film)

Cause: The finger is incorrectly positioned in front of the film instead of behind the film as a result patient’s finger appears on the film.

H-MOVEMENT (Blurred image)

CAUSE: The patient moved during the exposure of the film as a result blurred images are seen on the film.

2-Film exposure errors

A-UNEXPOSED FILM (Clear image)
Cause: The film was not exposed either due to failure to turn on a x-ray machine, electrical failure, or mal function of the x-ray machine.

b-UNDER EXPOSED FILM (faint film)

Cause: The film was under exposed result from inadequate exposure time, kilovoltage, milliamperage or combination of these factors.

c-OVER E EXPOSED( Dark film)

Cause: A over exposed film result from excessive exposure time, kilovoltage, milliamperage or combination of these factors.

3- POSITION INDICATING DEVIES ANGULATION ERRORS

a- INCORRECT HORIZONTAL ANGULATION
OVER LAP (Overlapped contact appears on the film)
Cause: The central ray was not directed through the interproximal area as a result the proximal surface of adjacent teeth appear overlapped in the per apical film

b- INCORRECT VERTICAL ANGULATION

1- FORESHORTENED IMAGE (short image)
Cause : Increase vertical angulations as a result the image appears shorten than the actual teeth

2- ELONGATED IMAGE (Longer image)

Cause: Decrease vertical angulations as a result the image appears longer than the actual teeth.




c-CONE CUT (Clear unexposed area)
Cause: The PID was not directed at the center of the film and the x-ray beam dose not expose the entire film.

B- MANUAL PROCESSING ERRORS

1-- TIME AND TEMPERATURE ERRORS
a- UNDER DEVELOPED FILM (Faint image)
CAUSE
• Inadequate development time
• Inaccurate timer
• Low development temperature
• inaccurate thermometer
• Depleted or contaminated solution

b- OVER DEVCELOPER FILM (Dark image)

CAUSE
• Excess development time
• Inaccurate timer
• High development temperature
• Inaccurate thermometer
• Contaminated developer solution

RETICULATION OF EMULSION (Film appears cracked)

CAUSE: Reticulation of emulsion result when a film is subjected to a sudden temperature between the developer solution and water bath.

2- CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION

a- DEVELOPER SPOTS (Dark spots )
CAUSE: Developer spot are seen when development solution comes in contact with film before processing.

b- FIXER SPOTS ( White spots)

CAUSE: Fixer spot are a result of the fixer solution come in contact with film before processing.

Yellowish-Brown Stain

Cause: Yellowish-brown film result from
Use of exhausted developer or fixer
Insufficient fixation time
Insufficient rinsing

3- FILM HANDLING

a- DEVELOPER CUT OFF (Straight white border)
CAUSE: Developer cut of result from low level of developer solution and represented undeveloped portion on the film.

b- FIXER CUT OFF (Straight black border)

CAUSE: Fixer cut off result from low level of fixer solution and represent an unfixed portion of the film.



C-OVER LAPPED FILM (White or black area appear on the film where the overlapped has occurred).
Cause: Overlapped film occurs when two films come in contact with each other during processing technique.

d- AIR BUBBLES (White spots )

Cause: Air bubble are seen on the film when air is trapped on the film surface after the film is placed in processing solution.

e- FINGER NAIL ARTIFACT (Black crescent shaped marks)

CAUSE: Finger nail artifact is seen when film emulsion is damaged by operator finger nail during rough handling of the film.

f- FINGER PRINT (Black finger print )

Cause: Finger print artifact is seen when the film is touched by finger containment with developer.

g-STATIC ELECTRICITY (Thin black branching line)

Cause: Static electricity may result from opening packet quickly in the air with dry humidity.

h-SCRATCHED FILM (White lines)

CAUSE: Scratched film results when the soft emulsion is removed from the film base by sharp object.

4- LIGHTING

a- LIGHT LEAK (Exposed area appears black)
CAUSE: A light leak could result from accidental exposure of the film to white light.

b- FOGGED FILM (Gray film)

Cause: The film appears gray and lack image detail and contrast it could result from
Improper safe lighting
Light leaks in dark room
Improper film storage
Outdate film
Contaminated processing solution
High developer temperature