A dental filling that appears white on a radiograph demonstrates radiopacity.

A dental filling that appears white on a radiograph demonstrates radiopacity.

• A. Radiolucency
• B. Radiopacity
• C. Opacity
• D. Luminosity

Answer: (B)

White visualization on a dental radiograph shows that the material blocks more X-rays due to higher density. This property is called radiopacity. A dental filling such as amalgam is made to be radiopaque, so it appears bright white on the image. If something were radiolucent, it would look darker because it doesn’t attenuate X-rays as much. Opacity is a general term for how much a material blocks light or radiation, but the specific term used in radiographs is radiopacity. Luminosity isn’t a standard radiographic term in dentistry.

White visualization on a dental radiograph shows that the material blocks more X-rays due to higher density. This property is called radiopacity. A dental filling such as amalgam is made to be radiopaque, so it appears bright white on the image. If something were radiolucent, it would look darker because it doesn’t attenuate X-rays as much. Opacity is a general term for how much a material blocks light or radiation, but the specific term used in radiographs is radiopacity. Luminosity isn’t a standard radiographic term in dentistry.