Extroral skull images accomplished with a cephalostat and typically 8x10 projections, used in orthodontic evaluation are called what?

• A. Cephalometric radiography
• B. Lateral skull radiography
• C. Panoramic radiography
• D. Tomography

Answer: (A)

Cephalometric radiography. This technique involves taking standardized extroral images of the skull with a cephalostat so the head can be held in a fixed position. In orthodontics, the typical setup uses a side (lateral) projection on an 8x10 film or sensor to produce a cephalogram. The purpose is to analyze the relationships of the cranial base, maxilla, mandible, teeth, and soft tissues, using specific landmarks and angular/linear measurements to diagnose skeletal patterns, assess growth, and plan treatment.

Panoramic radiography captures a broad view of the jaws and teeth and is not used for the skeletal cephalometric analysis. Tomography provides sectional imaging rather than a full skull view for orthodontic measurements. A lateral skull radiograph is essentially the same side-view image used in cephalometric analysis, but the standard term that encompasses the orthodontic evaluation with a cephalostat is cephalometric radiography.