The need for clear, diagnostically acceptable images should never take priority over every clinician’s first principle: do no harm. That means keeping radiation exposure for your staff and patients as low as reasonably achievable: the ALARA principle.
Every inaccurate image requires a retake and the more images retaken, the more the clinician and the patient are exposed to ionizing radiation. Your goal is to capture diagnostically acceptable intraoral images in a single, well-executed take, maximizing patient comfort and safety while minimizing chair time.
The most common reasons for intraoral radiography retakes are due to improper positioning, angulation, and media placement.1