Development of an acqusition and image enhancement platform for digital dental imaging

With technologıcal developments in X-ray imaging, digital systems started to replace analog systems. Principle advantages of digital X-ray imaging are; it has lower cost (in the long run), is ready to be processed with a computer, could acquire 3D images and has better imaging quality even at low radiation doses. Usage of digital technology in dental imaging is also increasing rapidly. Although, dental dose levels are significantly less than other X-ray imaging techniques, its cumulative effects could be harmful in the long term. Main aim of this thesis is to set up a digital dental imaging system and to implement its image processing software. A digital dental Xray system consists of three of the shelf components; a digital intraoral X-ray sensor, a portable X-ray tube and a computer. The new digital system and its acqusition software are tested on phantom and cadaver tests. Furthermore, effects of several image enhancement techniques on low dose dental radiographic images are examined.