Supernumerary teeth-like artifacts: Case report

S.M. Al-Shamrani, BDS, MS
 Y.F. Talic, BDS, MS
College of Dentistry, King Saud Uni­versity, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

 
This article explains the effects of patient movement during panoramic radiography on the resulting radiographic image.

 
Many types of artifacts and technical errors occur during panoramic radiography. Some of these artifacts are under operator control, i.e. proper patient positioning, exposure factors and processing techniques. Other artifacts may result from factors beyond the operators control, i.e. patient movement. The purpose of th is report is to illustrate the dramatic effect a very brief, slight movement by the patient has on the resulting radiographic image.
An 18-year-old female patient presented to the dental clinic for a routine check-up. A panoramic radiograph was obtained with Siemens orthopantomograph 10 machine.§ The radiograph revealed two erupted supernumerary teeth [Fig. 1]. One in the right maxilla between the lateral incisor and cuspid. The other supernumerary was in the right mandible between the lateral incisor and cuspid. The radiograph also revealed a slight discontinuity of the inferior border of the right mandible below the lateral incisor. The intraoral examination did not reveal any evidence of the supernumerary teeth.
An additional panoramic radiograph was taken using the same machine. The resulting radiograph revealed complete absence of the supernumerary teeth [Fig. 2].
The reason for this artifact in the panoramic radiograph was a result of a very brief, slight horizontal movement by the patient during x-ray exposure of the right maxillary and mandibular lateral incisor area.
This report confirms the importance of avoiding patient movement during dental radiography and instructing the patient to remain still during the entire procedure.