Abstract
Conventional occlusal radiography and periapical dental radiography are usually applied to a radiological examination of the maxillary anterior region. In these radiographic techniques, however, we can not detect an acurate labio-lingual relationship in the maxillary anterior region. To determine an acurate labio-lingual relationship in the maxillary anterior region, central X-rays must enter parallel to axes of the maxillary anterior teeth. There are some radiographic techniques in which central X-rays enter parallel to axes of the maxillary anterior teeth, which are sometimes called an axial occlusal projection. One of the axial occlusal projection of the maxillary anterior teeth, using a special intra-oral cassette accampanied with an intensifying screen, is tried fundamentally in this study. This radiographic technique has also a characteristic that it can be done by a dental X-ray machine. The purpose of this study is to compare the radiographic findings obtained by the axial occlusal projection of the maxillary anterior teeth with the radiographic findings obtained by the conventional occlusal radiography. The results obtained are as follows : 1. In the conventional occlusal radiography, the alveolar ridge of the hard palate appeared sharplly, but the posterior region of the hard palate and the labio-lingual relationship in the maxillary anterior region were not distinct. 2. In the axial occlusal projection of the maxillary anterior teeth, the posterior region of the hard palate and the labio-lingual relationship were clearly delineated, but the alveolar ridge of the hard palate was poorly defined. 3. The conventional occlusal radiography and the axial occlusal projection should be used for the diagnosis of the maxillary anterior region. These two techniques supplement each other.
