Order of magnitude dose reduction in intraoral radiography.

This comparative clinical investigation concerns the radiation dose from intraoral radiography using E-speed film and rectangular and circular beam collimation. Dose to organs not of diagnostic importance (brain, lens of the eye, thyroid, and breast) is reduced by approximately an order of magnitude when rectangular collimation and E-speed film are used in periapical radiography. And dose to the thyroid and breast is further reduced by a third with the use of a full leaded apron and thyroid shield.