Which radiographic image shows an entire tooth and surrounding tissue, including 2mm of bone around the apex?

A periapical image is designed to capture the entire tooth, from the crown down to the apex, and to include the surrounding bone and any relevant anatomical structures. This type of radiograph typically focuses on a specific area of interest and provides a detailed view of the tooth roots and surrounding supporting tissues.

In a periapical radiograph, the inclusion of approximately 2mm of bone around the apex is crucial for assessing the health of the tooth and its surrounding structures, such as the periodontal ligament space and the alveolar bone. This information is essential for diagnosing conditions like periapical abscesses or bone loss.

Other types of radiographic images do not fulfill this requirement. For example, a panoramic image encompasses a larger area, capturing multiple teeth and regions of the jaw in a single image, which may not provide sufficient detail about a specific tooth's root or surrounding bone. Bitewing images focus primarily on the crowns of the teeth and are useful for detecting interproximal caries but do not include the apices of the teeth. Cephalometric images are utilized primarily for orthodontic analysis and profile assessment and do not focus on individual teeth in the same detailed manner as periapical images.

Thus, the periapical image is