New radiograph guidelines
Joint ADA, FDA update
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Posted Jan. 20, 2005 |
By Mark Berthold The American Dental Association, working with the federal Food and Drug Administration and dental specialty groups, has updated the FDA's guidelines on dental radiographs.
Available on ADA.org and on the FDA's Web site, the newly updated guidelines will assist dentists in the selection of patients for dental radiographic examinations.
But they're not meant to be rules, notes Dr. Charles Greenblatt Jr., chair of the ADA Panel on Radiographs Guidelines Review.
Rather, the guidelines are an adjunct to the dentist's professional judgment of how to best use diagnostic imaging for each individual patient, weighing the benefits of taking dental radiographs against the risk of exposing a patient to X-rays.
"The recommendations are broad," he says, "so the clinician decides — after reviewing the patient's health history and completing a thorough clinical examination — what imaging is needed."
The ADA-FDA joint effort includes new information on key subjects:
- the clinical use of radiographs to assess patients with implants, monitor enamel remineralization and evaluate restorative and endodontic needs and other pathology;
- monitoring of edentulous patients;
- panoramic examinations, their expanded use and technological improvements;
- "bitewings" to mean either or both horizontal and vertical bitewings;
- an updated bibliography to reference.
The impetus for updating the guidelines began in 2002, when the ADA recommended the FDA review its original 1987 document, "The Selection of Patients for X-Ray Examination" to reflect changes in technology and practice.
The FDA welcomed the ADA to undertake the review, which formed a collaborative workgroup represented by the ADA, FDA, Academy of General Dentistry and interested dental specialty organizations.
The ADA-led workgroup's final draft for updated radiograph guidelines was accepted in November 2004. "The FDA didn't require any further adjustments to our deliberations and proceedings," Dr. Greenblatt is pleased to note.
"And it was a pleasure working with the FDA and every other dental group that served on the panel," he adds. "All representatives were very well informed; they came with great ideas and no personal agendas — except to get the best document out there for dentists and their patients."
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