re: Dental film processing <fwd>

["Gibbs, S Julian" <s.julian.gibbs@vanderbilt.edu>]

For manual processing of intraoral direct-exposure dental 
radiographic films, Kodak's time-temperature method is 
recommended.  The most common problem has been overexposure 
compensated by underdevelopment.  There are several 
consequences, all bad: the patient is needlessly 
overexposed and film quality suffers.  A simple method of 
testing for this is deliberate overdevelopment of a test 
film by up to double the recommended development time for 
the temperature of the tank.  If the film had been properly 
exposed, it will be a bit dark but still quite useful.  If, 
however, it had been overexposed it will be very dense, 
i.e., black.
This says that, contrary to popular opinion, developing 
time for these films is not critical, so long as the 
recommended time is taken as a minimum.

***********************************************************
S. Julian Gibbs, DDS, PhD               Voice: 615-322-3190
Professor of Radiology                    FAX: 615-322-3764 
Dept. of Radiology & Radiological Sciences
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville TN 37232-2670        Email:j.gibbs@vanderbilt.edu
***********************************************************
"Under democracy each party always devotes its chief energies
to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to 
rule -- and both commonly succeed, and are right." 
                -- H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)  



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