Effects of developer exhaustion on the sensitometric properties of four dental films.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of exhaustion of five different processing solutions on the sensitometric properties of four dental X-ray films: Ektaspeed Plus and Ultra-speed (Kodak Eastman Co. Rochester, USA) and new and previous Dentus M2 (Agfa-Gevaert, Mortsel, Belgium).


METHODS
An aluminum stepwedge was used to construct characteristic curves for the four films. All films were processed manually using three sets of chemicals for manual processing: Agfa (Heraeus Kulzer, Dormagen, Germany), Kodak (Kodak-Pathé, Paris, France) and Demat (Viscopac, Athens, Greece) and two sets for automatic processing: Dürr XR and Periomat (Dürr Dental, Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany). Film speed and gradient were evaluated until the chemicals were completely exhausted. An analysis of variance was performed separately for each set of chemicals for manual and automatic processing.


RESULTS
Ektaspeed Plus was the fastest film in the manual processing solutions. The new Dentus M2 and Ektaspeed Plus films had similar speed using the chemicals for automatic processing. Ultra-speed had the lowest speed in all solutions, but it had the greatest consistency. Exhaustion of the developer caused a comparable decrease in speed of Ektaspeed Plus and the two Dentus M2 films. In fresh chemistry Agfa was the strongest manual processing solution, but it had the highest exhaustion rate. The Dürr XR chemical was stronger than Periomat over the whole test period.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of film and processing solution is an important factor for achieving constant sensitometric properties. Ektaspeed Plus and the new Dentus M2 film should be used in dental practice, as they require lower exposure and have equivalent or superior properties compared with Ultra-speed.
Syriopoulos
K
K
Department of Oral Radiology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), The Netherlands.
Velders
X L
XL
Sanderink
G C
GC
van Ginkel
F C
FC
van der Stelt
P F
PF
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006801:Humans; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011861:Radiography, Dental / Q000592:standards*; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry*; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D014962:X-Ray Film
D012996:Solutions