The aim of this study was to assess the base density plus fog of dental X-ray films affected by light filtered through a commercial portable acrylic chamber used for radiography processing. Both Kodak Ultra-speed and Ektaspeed Plus films were placed into an acrylic chamber and submitted to the incidence of simultaneous natural and artificial light for five minutes to mimic a routine procedure in dental practice. Using a time/temperature method, these films were processed in a conventional darkroom together with films from the same sensitivity group that had not been subjected to light incidence (control). Densitometric values were obtained from all samples and the data were analysed by Mann-Whitney tests. The results revealed that films subjected to acrylic chamber conditions presented higher base density plus fog values. Also, when Ultra-speed or Ektaspeed Plus films were compared to films within the respective sensitivity group, the latter group always exhibited higher base density plus fog values. Despite the knowledge that acrylic is able to filter light in a similar degree as the Kodak GBX 2 filter, the highest level of light intensity entering the portable chamber can explain the increased base density plus fog observed in this study.
Radiographic fog; Dental radiology; Radiographic films
