Sex dimorphism according to the nasozygomatic triangle

Sex is one of the first features to be diagnosed in human identification, composing, with age, ancestry and stature, the so called "big four". Aim: The present study aimed to metrically analyze the sexual dimorphism in skulls of known age and sex from Rio Grande do Sul ­ Brazil. Methods: This was a crosssectional study of metrical analysis, which used a sample comprised of 209 human skulls (106 male and 103 female) older than 22 years old at the time of death, undamaged and without signs of trauma or abnormalities. The point nasion and the most superior points on the zygomaticotemporal sutures from each side were connected forming a triangle. This area was calculated using Heron's formula, and the results were submitted for statistical analysis. Results: All measurements showed significant values for sexual dimorphism. Through the area of the triangle, it was possible to determine sex with an accuracy of 83.97% for males and 83.50% for females. Conclusion: This simple method requires only a caliper, and still can be reliable for forensic human identification. It must be diffused and tested on other samples, and can be used as a good and inexpensive tool for experts in day-to-day practice

Prevalence of traumatic orofacial and dental injury in unidentified bodies-Data from a forensic medicine institute in Brazil.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Orofacial trauma and traumatic dental injuries (TDI) are serious public health problems due to their high prevalence, severe morbidity, high costs of treatment, and long-term sequelae. However, the extent of the problem may be underestimated since trauma analysis, from a forensic odontology perspective, is not widely represented in the scientific literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of traumatic orofacial injuries (TOI) and TDI in unidentified bodies and their association with the cause of death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of dental and autopsy reports of unidentified bodies admitted to the Institute of Forensic Medicine of Belo Horizonte (IFM-BH), Brazil, between 2015 and 2016. The final sample was made up of 536 bodies. Demographic data, the location where the body was found, cause of death, and the presence and type of orofacial trauma were collected. RESULTS: The mean of the estimated age of the bodies was 38 years and the median was 35 years. Most of the bodies were from males (87.5%) and were found downtown in the city of Belo Horizonte (60.4%). Violence was the most common cause of death (64%), generally by gunshot (48.7%). Bodies with an estimated age ≤35 years were eight times more likely to have died from violent causes. TOI was registered in 50.9% of the reports. TDI was observed in 10.8% of the bodies. Victims of violent death were seven times more likely to present TOI. Such association was not observed when the presence of TDI was considered. CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive association between TOI and violent death in unidentified bodies.

The need for implant dentists to know about the method of forensic human identification using dental implants

The aim of this study is to present two cases in which dental implants greatly enhanced the forensic human identification and to show the important role of the implant dentist in this process. The skeletonized remains of two victims with dental implants were sent for exams. The morphological features (qualitative) and linear measurements (quantitative) of the implants were analyzed in the ante-mortem and postmortem radiographs. The points of coincidence observed in both the implants and teeth showed compatibility of findings that led the experts to determine the positive identification. The implants found in the bodies were decisive in the process of identification. This identification was only possible because the implant dentists presented complete documentation with good technical quality, enabling an efficient expert approach to comparison of the data. Therefore, it is important to make implant dentists aware of this significant role because they may be asked by the authorities or family members of the deceased to present a complete record chart.

O objetivo desse trabalho é apresentar dois casos em que os implantes foram essenciais no processo identificação e mostrar a importância do papel do implantodontista nesse processo. Dois corpos esqueletizados com implantes dentais foram encaminhados para exames. Foram analisadas as características morfológicas (qualitativas) e medidas lineares (quantitativas) dos implantes nas radiografias antemortem e postmortem. Os pontos de coincidência observados tanto nos implantes quanto nos dentes mostram a compatibilidade dos achados, o que levou os peritos a determinarem a identificação positiva. Os implantes encontrados nos corpos foram decisivos no processo de identificação. Essa identificação só foi possível porque os implantodontistas apresentaram uma documentação completa e com boa qualidade técnica, permitindo uma abordagem pericial segura no confronto dos dados. Portanto, é importante que os implantodontistas estejam cientes do seu papel já que podem ser solicitados pelas autoridades ou membros da família para apresentarem o prontuário da pessoa falecida

Assessment of accuracy and recognition of three-dimensional computerized forensic craniofacial reconstruction.

Facial reconstruction is a technique that aims to reproduce the individual facial characteristics based on interpretation of the skull, with the objective of recognition leading to identification. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the accuracy and recognition level of three-dimensional (3D) computerized forensic craniofacial reconstruction (CCFR) performed in a blind test on open-source software using computed tomography (CT) data from live subjects. Four CCFRs were produced by one of the researchers, who was provided with information concerning the age, sex, and ethnic group of each subject. The CCFRs were produced using Blender® with 3D models obtained from the CT data and templates from the MakeHuman® program. The evaluation of accuracy was carried out in CloudCompare, by geometric comparison of the CCFR to the subject 3D face model (obtained from the CT data). A recognition level was performed using the Picasa® recognition tool with a frontal standardized photography, images of the subject CT face model and the CCFR. Soft-tissue depth and nose, ears and mouth were based on published data, observing Brazilian facial parameters. The results were presented from all the points that form the CCFR model, with an average for each comparison between 63% and 74% with a distance -2.5 ≤ x ≤ 2.5 mm from the skin surface. The average distances were 1.66 to 0.33 mm and greater distances were observed around the eyes, cheeks, mental and zygomatic regions. Two of the four CCFRs were correctly matched by the Picasa® tool. Free software programs are capable of producing 3D CCFRs with plausible levels of accuracy and recognition and therefore indicate their value for use in forensic applications.

Use of an Alternate Light Source to Detect Tooth and Bone.

The aim of this study was to identify the combination of wavelength and filter that best detects tooth and bone, and to determine which biological materials (enamel, dental root or bone) have highest fluorescence intensity when exposed to an alternate light source (ALS). Tooth and bone samples were lighted with ALS and photographed. Adobe Photoshop™ and ImageJ™ softwares were used for image analysis. Data obtained by measuring the photograph pixels were subjected to analysis of variance. The mean values of significant effects were compared by the Tukey test. In all tests, the significance level was set at p≤0.05 and the values calculated by the SAS system. The results showed that the best combination for detecting tooth and bone is an illumination wavelength of 455 nm with an orange filter. The fluorescence of dental root is greater than that of enamel, which in turn is greater than that of bone. The biological material had markedly higher fluorescence than the inert material. This knowledge can help the forensic expert to screen and detect biological materials, for example in situations where there are fragmented teeth and small bones, both at the scene and in the laboratory.

Use of an Alternate Light Source to Detect Tooth and Bone

Resumo O objetivo desse trabalho foi identificar a combinação do comprimento de onda e filtro que melhor detecta dente e osso e verificar qual material biológico (esmalte, raiz dental ou osso) possui maior fluorescência quando exposto a uma fonte de luz alternativa (ALS). Amostras de dente e osso foram iluminadas com uma ALS e fotografadas. Os programas Adobe Photoshop™ e ImageJ™ foram usados para análise das imagens. Os dados obtidos das medidas dos pixels das fotografias foram submetidos a análise de variância. Os valores com efeitos significativos tiveram suas médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey. Em todos os testes, o nível de significância adotado foi p≤0,05 e os valores calculados pelo sistema SAS. Os resultados mostraram que a melhor combinação para detectar dente e osso é o comprimento de onda 455 nm com o filtro laranja. A fluorescência da raiz é maior que a do esmalte que é maior do que o osso. O material biológico teve maior fluorescência que o material inerte. Esse conhecimento pode auxiliar o perito a triar e detectar esses materiais biológicos, por exemplo em situações em que dentes e pequenos ossos estiverem fragmentados, tanto na cena do crime quanto no laboratório.

Abstract The aim of this study was to identify the combination of wavelength and filter that best detects tooth and bone, and to determine which biological materials (enamel, dental root or bone) have highest fluorescence intensity when exposed to an alternate light source (ALS). Tooth and bone samples were lighted with ALS and photographed. Adobe Photoshop™ and ImageJ™ softwares were used for image analysis. Data obtained by measuring the photograph pixels were subjected to analysis of variance. The mean values of significant effects were compared by the Tukey test. In all tests, the significance level was set at p≤0.05 and the values calculated by the SAS system. The results showed that the best combination for detecting tooth and bone is an illumination wavelength of 455 nm with an orange filter. The fluorescence of dental root is greater than that of enamel, which in turn is greater than that of bone. The biological material had markedly higher fluorescence than the inert material. This knowledge can help the forensic expert to screen and detect biological materials, for example in situations where there are fragmented teeth and small bones, both at the scene and in the laboratory.

Practical Application of Anatomy of the Oral Cavity in Forensic Facial Reconstruction.

The oral cavity's importance in defining the facial region makes it a primary feature for forensic facial reconstruction (FFR). The aim of this study is to construct a pattern of reference for dimensions and proportions of the lips and establish parameters that may help estimate the vermilion borders' height dimensions and the mouth's width. By means of cone beam computed tomography, divided into two samples: sample 1 (n = 322; 137 male, 185 female) verified the linear distances delimited by anatomical landmarks in soft tissue. The sample 2 (n = 108; 40 male, 68 female), verified the proportions among the height of the vermilion borders, width of the mouth, and linear distances between craniometric landmarks in hard tissues, both from a Brazilian database. The measurements were completed using OsiriX, and the results were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics at a level of significance of 5%. The height of the vermilion borders corresponded to approximately 26% of the width of the mouth. The width of the mouth increased over the course of time in men and remained stable in women. In men, a mean intercanine distance of 75% of the total mouth's width was found; for women, it was 80%. The parameters of the relations between soft and hard tissues in the oral cavity region presented that the distance between landmarks ID-SM (Infradentale-Supramentale) corresponded to 55% of the height of the vermilion borders of the mouth for both sexes, while the distance between landmarks PM-SD (Philtrum medium-Supradentale) corresponded to 85% in men and 88% in women. Mean values of 97% of the width of the mouth in women and 93% in men were attributed to the distance between the mentonian foramina. It was not possible to estimate the height of the labial vermilion borders by the bone measurements, FIs-Fli (Foramen incisivus superius-inferius) and NS-GN (Nasospinale-Gnathion). Profound knowledge of the anatomy and morphology of the oral cavity may contribute to increasing the precision of FFRs and help with human identification.

An unusual method of forensic human identification: use of selfie photographs.

As with other methods of identification, in forensic odontology, antemortem data are compared with postmortem findings. In the absence of dental documentation, photographs of the smile play an important role in this comparison. As yet, there are no reports of the use of the selfie photograph for identification purposes. Owing to advancements in technology, electronic devices, and social networks, this type of photograph has become increasingly common. This paper describes a case in which selfie photographs were used to identify a carbonized body, by using the smile line and image superimposition. This low-cost, rapid, and easy to analyze technique provides highly reliable results. Nevertheless, there are disadvantages, such as the limited number of teeth that are visible in a photograph, low image quality, possibility of morphological changes in the teeth after the antemortem image was taken, and difficulty of making comparisons depending on the orientation of the photo. In forensic odontology, new methods of identification must be sought to accompany technological evolution, particularly when no traditional methods of comparison, such as clinical record charts or radiographs, are available.

Administrative and clinical denials by a large dental insurance provider.

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and the type of claim denials (administrative, clinical or both) made by a large dental insurance plan. This was a cross-sectional, observational study, which retrospectively collected data from the claims and denial reports of a dental insurance company. The sample consisted of the payment claims submitted by network dentists, based on their procedure reports, reviewed in the third trimester of 2012. The denials were classified and grouped into 'administrative', 'clinical' or 'both'. The data were tabulated and submitted to uni- and bivariate analyses. The confidence intervals were 95% and the level of significance was set at 5%. The overall frequency of denials was 8.2% of the total number of procedures performed. The frequency of administrative denials was 72.88%, whereas that of technical denials was 25.95% and that of both, 1.17% (p < 0.05). It was concluded that the overall prevalence of denials in the studied sample was low. Administrative denials were the most prevalent. This type of denial could be reduced if all dental insurance providers had unified clinical and administrative protocols, and if dentists submitted all of the required documentation in accordance with these protocols.

Administrative and clinical denials by a large dental insurance provider

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and the type of claim denials (administrative, clinical or both) made by a large dental insurance plan. This was a cross-sectional, observational study, which retrospectively collected data from the claims and denial reports of a dental insurance company. The sample consisted of the payment claims submitted by network dentists, based on their procedure reports, reviewed in the third trimester of 2012. The denials were classified and grouped into ‘administrative’, ‘clinical’ or ‘both’. The data were tabulated and submitted to uni- and bivariate analyses. The confidence intervals were 95% and the level of significance was set at 5%. The overall frequency of denials was 8.2% of the total number of procedures performed. The frequency of administrative denials was 72.88%, whereas that of technical denials was 25.95% and that of both, 1.17% (p < 0.05). It was concluded that the overall prevalence of denials in the studied sample was low. Administrative denials were the most prevalent. This type of denial could be reduced if all dental insurance providers had unified clinical and administrative protocols, and if dentists submitted all of the required documentation in accordance with these protocols.

Analysis of the fluorescence of body fluids on different surfaces and times.

The use of screening techniques, such as an alternative light source (ALS), is important for finding biological evidence at a crime scene. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether biological fluid (blood, semen, saliva, and urine) deposited on different surfaces changes as a function of the age of the sample. Stains were illuminated with a Megamaxx™ ALS System and photographed with a Canon EOS Utility™ camera. Adobe Photoshop™ was utilized to prepare photographs for analysis, and then ImageJ™ was used to record the brightness values of pixels in the images. Data were submitted to analysis of variance using a generalized linear mixed model with two fixed effects (surface and fluid). Time was treated as a random effect (through repeated measures) with a first-order autoregressive covariance structure. Means of significant effects were compared by the Tukey test. The fluorescence of the analyzed biological material varied depending on the age of the sample. Fluorescence was lower when the samples were moist. Fluorescence remained constant when the sample was dry, up to the maximum period analyzed (60 days), independent of the substrate on which the fluid was deposited, showing the novelty of this study. Therefore, the forensic expert can detect biological fluids at the crime scene using an ALS even several days after a crime has occurred.

A auditoria odontológica nos serviços de saúde suplementar / Dental auditing in supplementary health care services

O sistema de saúde no Brasil vem sofrendo grandes transformações. Em virtude da saúde pública não ter condições de atender as necessidades da população, junto ao baixo poder aquisitivo da população para custear de forma direta seus tratamentos, foi institucionalizado o sistema de saúde suplementar, que complementa o serviço de saúde público. Com a crise no mercado odontológico provocada pelo excesso de profissionais, muitos cirurgiões-dentistas,passaram a trabalhar em parceria com as operadoras de planos de saúde (OPS), na expectativa de aumentar a clientela. Essa parceria promove reorganização acelerada e irreversível do setor, em que a relação entre paciente e cirurgião-dentista é intermediada pela OPS. Objetivo: demonstrar por meio de atualização de literatura a importância da auditoria nos serviços de saúde bucal oferecidos pelas OPS, destacando o papel do auditor técnico como gestor de saúde, exprimindo sua função educadora e não fiscalizadora ou punitiva. Considerações finais: devido ao crescimento das OPS, regulação do setor através da lei 9656/98 e código de defesa do consumidoras OPS passaram a desenvolver instrumentos de avaliação da qualidade dos serviços prestados, dentre eles, a auditoria odontológica. Entretanto, este novo modelo de exercer a prática odontológica, tem trazido conflitos para os profissionais que desconhecem a importância do auditor nos serviços de saúde bucal. As ações dos serviços de auditoria são pautadas por princípios éticos-legais e baseadas em evidências que fundamentam a prática odontológica, além disso representa segurança adicional para o beneficiário através do controle de qualidade a que seu tratamento é submetido...

The health care system in Brazil is undergoing large transformations. Due to the public health care system's inability to attend to the needs of the whole population, together with the general population's inability to pay for needed treatment out of pocket, the supplementary health care system was created to augment the public system. With the crisis in the dental industry caused by the excess of dental professionals, many dentists began partnering with health care plan operators (HPO) with the hope of expanding their clientele. These partnerships encourage an accelerated and irreversible reorganization in the industry, where the relationship between patient and dentist is mediated by the HPO. Objective: to demonstrate via a review of the most recent literature the importance of the practice of auditing the oral-health services offered by the HPOs, highlighting the role of the technical auditor as health manager, focusing on its educational function and not fiscal or punitive. Final remarks: due to the growth of the HPOs, regulation of the sector via the law 9656/98 and the consumer-defense code, the HPOs started to develop tools to evaluate the quality of the performed services, amongst them, the dental audit. Nevertheless, this new model for the dental industry has given rise to problems for dental professionals that are unaware of the importance of the auditor in relation to oral health services. The actions of the auditing services are regulated by legal and ethical principles and based on fundamental data from dental practice. Beyond that, they add additional assurance for patients via quality control and ensuring their treatment is submitted...

A glosa odontológica em uma operadora de grupo de grande porte / Dental services disallowance in a major health plan provider

Objetivo: verificar a frequência de glosa total e dos procedimentos odontológicos realizados pela rede credenciada de uma operadora de plano de saúde. Materiais e método: trata-se de um trabalho observacional transversal no qual foi realizado um levantamento retrospectivo em uma operadora de grupo exclusivamente odontológica no terceiro trimestre de 2012. A análise quantitativa agrupou os procedimentos baseando-se no rol da Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar. Os dados coletados foram tabulados e submetidos a análise estatística com intervalos com 95% de confiança e nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: dos 264.758 procedimentos faturados, 21.716 foram glosados; portanto, o percentual global de glosas em relação ao total de procedimentos foi de 8,20%. A maior frequência de glosas foi observada na radiologia (35,93%), seguida pela dentística (24,04%) e pela prevenção (16,70%). Do total de glosas, a endodontia e a prótese tiveram 4,77% e 2,32%, respectivamente. Entretanto, quando se analisou cada grupo do rol individualmente, 24,37% dos procedimentos da prótese e 22,23% dos procedimentos da endodontia foram glosados. Conclusão: a frequência total de glosa na operadora de plano de saúde foi 8,20%. Os procedimentos mais glosados foram de radiologia, dentística e prevenção. Quando se avaliou a frequência de glosa dentro de um mesmo grupo, a prótese e a endodontia foram as especialidades mais glosadas.

Objective: to observe the frequency of full disallowance and dental procedures performed by an accredited network of a Health Plan Provider. Materials and method: cross-sectional observational study in which we performed a retrospective survey in a group provider for dental care only, in the 3rd quarter of 2012. A quantitative analysis pooled the procedures based on the List of the National Supplementary Health Agency. The collected data were tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis with 95% confidence intervals, and significance level of 5%. Results: from the 264,758 procedures billed, 21,716 were disallowed, so the overall percentage of disallowances over the total number of procedures was 8.20%. The higher frequency of disallowances was seen in radiology (35.93%), followed by dentistry (24.04%), and prevention (16.70%). Endodontics and prosthesis were 4.77% and 2.32% respectively, from the total of disallowances. However, when we individually analyzed each group from the List, 24.37% of the prosthesis procedures, and 22.23% of the endodontic procedures were disallowed. Conclusion: the overall frequency of disallowance in the Health Plan Provider was 8.20%. The most disallowed procedures were radiology, dentistry, and prevention. When the frequency of disallowance within the same group was assessed, prosthesis and endodontics were the most disallowed specialties.

Análise de websites de cirurgiões-dentistas quanto aos aspectos éticos e legais relativos à publicidade e propaganda / Analysis of websites of dentists regarding the ethical and legal issues relating to advertising and propaganda

O objetivo desse trabalho foi verificar se o conteúdo dos websites de cirurgiões-dentistas está de acordo com as normas que tratam da publicidade e da propaganda da Odontologia. Trata-se de um estudo observacional transversal baseado em um formulário constituído de 25 perguntas para a coleta de dados de uma amostra de 384 websites

The aim of this study was to verify if the content of dentist’s websites is in line with the standard that treats the advertising and propaganda of dentistry. This is a cross sectional observational study based on a form consisting on 25 questions to collect data from a sample of 384 websites

Banco de dentes humanos: uma análise bioética / Human teeth bank: a bioethics analysis

Banco de dentes humanos (BDH) é uma instituição sem fins lucrativos, vinculada a uma instituição de ensino com o propósito de suprir as necessidades acadêmicas, fornecendo dentes humanos para pesquisa, treinamento laboratorial e restauraçães biológicas. O presente trabalho resultou de levantamento bibliográfico relativo àáimplantação, objetivos, funcionamento, aspectos éticos, tendências e elo do BDH com a bioética contemporânea. A bioética ajuda a odontologia a fazer uma reflexão sobre o tema, conciliando os avanços tecnológicos com os princípios éticos, traçando caminhos para o uso dos órgãos dentais sem ofensa àá dignidade humana. Pode-se concluir que o BDH mostra-se como o modelo mais adequado para suprir a necessidade por dentes, ao mesmo tempo em que cumpre as exigências legais, éticas e de biossegurança, evitando o comércio ilegal

Análise de websites de cirurgiões-dentistas quanto aos aspectos éticos e legais relativos à publicidade e propaganda

Atualmente a internet tem sido usada pelos cirurgiões-dentistas como ferramenta de marketing para seus clientes. Nesse caso, as regras pertinentes à propaganda convencional também devem ser obedecidas no ambiente virtual...

A atuação dos cirurgiões-dentistas de Belo Horizonte, frente a orientação da gestante, em relação a saúde bucal de seu bebê / Guidance of pregnant women on baby's oral health by dental surgeons in Belo Horizonte-MG

A gestação é uma ótima fase para a futura mãe estar recebendo informações a respeito de sua saúde bucal e principalmente a de seu filho. A proposta deste estudo foi avaliar a atuação dos cirurgões-dentistas de belo Horizonte frente à orientação da gestante, em relação à saúde bucal de seu bebê. Foi aplicado um questionário a 200 cirurgiões-dentistas escolhidos aleatoriamente de uma lista fornecida pelo Conselho Regional de Odontologia de Minas Gerais (CRO-MG). Os resultados mostraram que 88 por cento dos pesquisados atendem gestantes. Todos os cirurgiões-dentistas orientam a gestante em relação a sua saúde bucal e a maioria (84 por cento)orientam a futura mãe em relação a saúde bucal de seu bebê. Apenas 52 por cento dos profissionais receberam algum treinamento específico sobre a orientação da gestante visando a saúde bucal do bebê. Nenhum dos entrevistados prescreve suplementos de flúor para a gestante

Nivelamento 4 x 2: uma conduta ética / 4 x 2 levelling: an ethic conduct

A ortodontia nas últimas décadas tem contribuído para uma aplicação, cada vez maior, de métodos ortodônticos interceptativos a fim de atuar na maloclusão em desenvolvimento, impedindo o seu agravamento. Com o crescimento do número de profissionais na área, esta interceptação muitas vezes tem sido realizada sem o menor critério de avaliação das necessidades do paciente em questão, causando prejuízos irreversíveis ao complexo bucal. Este trabalho apresenta quatro casos clínicos, sendo três sucessos e um insucesso tendo como proposta alertar os profissionais para os danos que a interceptação realizada sem critério pode provocar, com ênfase ao aparelho 4 x 2. Muitas vezes, o profissional não aguarda a época oportuna para realizar tal tratamento, levando a danos irreparáveis como reabsorções radiculares, impactações dentárias e anquilose dentária. O nivelamento 4 x 2 como terapia interceptativa revela uma excelente opção para minimizar ou mesmo eliminar tratamentos complexos no futuro, entretanto, deve ser planejado e executado com critério científico apurado. Portanto, devemos avaliar previamente a terapia aplicada, a idade dentária de aplicação e o real custo x benefício que iremos proporcionar ao nosso pequeno paciente

Qualidade radiográfica: a influência do tempo de exposição e a regulagem dos aparelhos de raios x da Faculdade de Odontologia da UFMG / Radiographic quality: the influence od exposure time and the regulation of the of x-ray equipment of the Faculty of Dentistry of Minas Gerais Federal University

O diagnóstico radiográfico tem como objetivo retratar as estruturas sem distorção, com a menor dose de radiação possível para o paciente. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a confiabilidade e regulagem dos aparelhos de raios X da Faculdade de Odontologia da UFMG e determinar os melhores tempos de exposição para dentes anteriores e posteriores. Foi confeccionado e radiografado um modelo de estudo (fantoma) com 4 dentes. Os filmes utilizados foram Kodak Ektaespeed plus. Foram feitas três radiografias para cada um dos seis tempos de exposição diferentes (0.2s, 0.4s, 0.6s, 0.8s, 1.0s, 1.2s) em cada aparelho utilizado. Os filmes foram processados automaticamente, todos no mesmo dia. As radiografias foram analisadas por um pesquisador experiente, em mascaramento único e por um densitômetro. Foram tomadas em consideração a variação de densidades entre baixa e alta, além da qualidade da imagem para diagnóstico. Os resultados mostraram variações nas radiografias entre os aparelhos utilizados. Alguns aparelhos com características técnicas semelhantes mostraram radiografias com igual resultado. Outros aparelhos de mesma marca e modelo apresentaram, surpreendentemente, variações nas radiografias. A análise estatística global dos resultados mostraram que no tempo de exposição de 0.6s temos o maior índice de qualidade radiográfica para dentes anteriores. Para dentes posteriores, o tempo de exposição de 1.0s revelou-se melhor. A avaliação das três radiografias de um mesmo tempo de exposição se apresentavam padronizadas, pois não houve variação na imagem produzida em tomadas consecutivas