title: Initial development and in vitro evaluation of the HPL device for obtaining reproducible bitewing radiographs of children.
abstract: A new beam-aiming and collimating film holder, the HPL device, has been developed to facilitate the production of reproducible serial bitewing radiographs. The device holds two films in the mouth simultaneously and is held in position extraorally. Serial bitewing radiographs of skulls of children aged 7, 10, and 14 years taken with (1) a "freehand" technique, (2) a Rinn film holder, and (3) the HPL device were evaluated for degree of reproducibility, potential diagnostic yield, and technical errors. Compared with the other techniques, the HPL device produced a smaller number of overlapped surfaces and substantially fewer technical errors. In vivo studies of the new device are therefore indicated. The restriction of the field of primary and secondary irradiation may lead to a substantial reduction in absorbed radiation dose compared with other techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Health, University of Dundee, Scotland.
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Pitts
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hamood
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Longbottom
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014962:X-Ray Film