Assessment of frontal face radiation during panoramic and cephalometric dental radiography using miniature dosimeter

Aim: In this research work, radiation doses to frontal face of adult and pediatric procedures were measured from 50 panoramic and 35 cephalometric dental X-ray scanners from various regions in Tamil Nadu, India. Materials and Methods: Dose measurements were carried out using a polymethylmethacrylate tissue-equivalent phantom (10 cm diameter and 14 cm length) and two miniature electronic personnel dosimeters (PM1610). Results: Panoramic procedures and the radiation doses were measured on the frontal face of adult ranged from 80 μSv to 175 μSv and 20–66 μSv at the thyroid and eye level, respectively, and for pediatric were ranged from 52 μSv to 159 μSv and 17–58 μSv at the thyroid and eye level, respectively. For cephalometric, the frontal face dose of adult ranged from 45 μSv to 114 μSv and 45–111 μSv at the thyroid and eye level, respectively, and for pediatric, the doses were ranged from 43 μSv to 107 μSv and 43–107 μSv at the thyroid and eye level, respectively. Conclusions: Based on the detailed survey, the measured values were comparable with other literature values. It was observed that exposure parameters, beam quality, beam slit width, and beam length used in the tube head are the factors that increase facial dose during dental panoramic and cephalometric procedures.