Dental x-ray film viewing device

A dental X-ray film viewing device comprising:

• (a) a film reader comprising:
• a system housing including a film access opening;
• a support panel disposed within said system housing;
• a film illumination station attached to a lower portion of said support panel, said film illumination station comprising an illumination housing, a film seat on a wall of said housing, and a diffused white light source disposed within said illumination housing for backlighting said film seat;
• said film seat comprising a translucent plate and a non-transparent film anchoring wafer disposed against said translucent plate, said film anchoring wafer having an inner opening complimentary to an intra-oral x-ray thereby forming a translucent film window for seating said x-ray film within said film window, and said film anchoring wafer blocking light from said light source in an area surrounding said x-ray film;
• and
• a video camera attached to an upper portion of said support panel, having lens thereof directed to a center of said film window of said film illumination station;
• said lens having a distortion at full field less than 3%;
• and
• (b) an image display screen connected to said video camera of said film reader by a cable, for displaying an enlarged digital image of said x-ray film using signals transmitted directly from said video camera.

A method of producing an enlarged digital image of an intra-oral x-ray film comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing an intra-oral x-ray film on a translucent film window complementary in dimensions to said x-ray film, and backlighting said film window with a diffused white light source;
• said film window being surrounded by a non-transparent material to substantially block light from said light source in an area surrounding said x-ray film;
• (b) positioning a video camera with a lens thereof directing to a center of said x-ray film, said lens having a distortion at full field less than 3% and said video camera having a resolution of at least 512×582 pixels;
• and
• (c) displaying a substantially enlarged digital image of said x-ray film on an image display screen having a resolution no less than the resolution of said video camera, using signals transmitted directly from said video camera.

A method of dental diagnosis comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an intra-oral x-ray film;
• (b) focusing a lens of a video camera on said x-ray film;
• said lens having a distortion at full field less than 3%;
• and said video camera having a resolution of at least 512×582 pixels;
• (c) displaying a substantially enlarged digital image of said x-ray film on an image display screen that has a contrast ratio no less than 400:1 and a resolution no less than the resolution of said video camera, using signals transmitted directly from said video camera;
• and
• (d) visually reviewing said enlarged digital image, and identifying an indication of a dental condition, or accessing dental information, revealed by said enlarged digital image.