Intraoral digital radiography: elements of effective imaging.

: Intraoral digital imaging has evolved from an experimental and sometimes disparaged technique in the mid 1980s to a reliable and ubiquitously used technology today. There are many advantages for use of digital radiographic techniques in dentistry, one of the chief ones being patient dose reduction. However, as important as dose reduction is for safe and effective radiography, practicing dentists would also like to understand the fundamental differences between digital system configurations so they may be able to make an informed choice as to which system best fits their needs. In addition, there has been considerable debate on the following topics: sensor technology; factors associated with image display; optimum techniques for image manipulation; and image storage, retrieval, and archiving. This article provides insight into these and other elements of effective imaging in intraoral digital imaging.