MANDIBULAR BICUSPIDS

Adjust the head as described for radiographs of mandibular teeth. Place the film packet in the mouth with its long axis horizontal and its upper border parallel to and slightly above (approximately 1/4 inch) the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. Locate the anterior border of the film lingual to the mesial surface of the cuspid. The lower anterior border of the film should be contoured slightly to fit the curvature of the mandibular arch. Adjust the tube to an average angulation of -10º. Direct the central ray straight through the interproximal spaces at the center of the film and perpendicular to the bisecting plane (see figure 4-15). Follow the manufacturer's instructions for exposure times.