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tvpjournal.com | September/October 2015 | TOday'S VeTerinary PracTice PracTical denTiSTry Peer reviewed 59 exposing diagnostic dental images can be frustrating for the novice; however, with a small amount of training and practice, it can be mastered. This article is a brief introduction to exposure techniques for intraoral radiology. Further training via hands-on laboratories is an excellent investment and can greatly improve the learning curve. STEP 1. PaTiEnT PoSiTioning Position the patient so that the area of the mouth being imaged is closest to the radiographic beam. • Mandibular canines/incisors: Place the patient in dorsal recumbency (Figure 1 ) • Mandibular cheek teeth: leave patient in dorsal recumbency or place in lateral recumbency • Maxillary teeth: Positioning for these teeth is controversial; some veterinary dentists recommend sternal recumbency, while others prefer lateral recumbency. While sternal recumbency makes it easier to visualize angles, possibly making exposure of initial survey flms more effcient, rolling patients into this position for intra- and/or postoperative images is somewhat arduous and time consuming, often displaces the monitoring leads, and can be traumatic to spines and hips of older pets and large breed dogs. Therefore, in our practice, virtually all maxillary radiographs are exposed in lateral recumbency (Figure 2). STEP 2. FilM PlacEMEnT wiThin ThE PaTiEnT'S MouTh 1-6 For direct digital radiography (dr, or ddr) sensors, the digital sensor is placed in the mouth so that the cord exits through the front of the mouth (Figure 3, page 60). Dental Radiology Series Techniques for inTraoral radiology Brook A. Niemiec, DVM, FAVD, Diplomate AVDC & EVDC Southern California Veterinary Dental Specialties, San Diego, California This article is the second article in a 3-part series on dental radiology: the previous article discussed the importance of dental radiography (May/ June 2015 issue) and the next will address interpretation of dental images. Figure 1 . Feline patient in dorsal recumbency in preparation for exposing a radiograph of the mandibular incisors and canines. Figure 2. Canine patient in dorsal recumbency, but with head rotated into lateral recumbency in preparation for a radiograph of the right maxillary canine (104).