Oral Diagnosis and Radiology

Oral diagnosis is the department that undertakes the diagnosis and treatment of oral and dental disorders. The department is divided into two main groups as intraoral (intraoral) and extraoral (extraoral).

Basic scientific studies in oral diagnosis can be gathered under four groups:

1. The description of symptoms
2. The description of syndromes
3. Diagnostic methods
4. The determination of laboratory – radiological-pathological applications/methods that will lead to diagnosis

Oral, dental and maxillofacial radiology is the department of dentistry in which the diagnosis mouth, teeth and jaw area diseases and the clinical – radiological determination of the applicable treatment is made. The reason for taking oral, dental and maxillofacial X-rays or dental films is to detect and determine pathology or anomalies. 

“Periapical x-rays” which are partial images showing 2-3 teeth, and “panoramic x-rays”, which display the whole jaw bone, are used in oral, dental and maxillofacial radiology.

Digital radiography devices, on the other hand, can provide a more detailed image with color and light fluctuations on film using very low radiation doses. MR and CT imaging are used for the diagnosis and treatment of joints and in implant applications.

Oral, dental and maxillofacial radiology, which diagnoses oral, dental and mucosal diseases, is the department where the first examination of the patients takes place. Correct treatment can only be made with the correct diagnosis. Therefore, the radiology department is very important because it is the department where oral, dental and maxillofacial radiology diagnoses the disease and prepares the appropriate treatment procedure and directs the patient to the areas of specialization where the treatment will take place. 

The oral diagnosis and radiology examination vary according to the imaging methods deemed appropriate by the dentist.