Diagnostic Dilemmas: Anatomical Masquerades in Dental Radiographs – A Sri Lankan Perspicacity 

Dental radiographs are an essential component in routine dental practice. They serve multiple purposes such as aiding in the diagnosis, and exclusion of disease monitoring the progression or healing of lesions and observing the natural development of the dentition. Furthermore, they play a considerable role in medico-legal documentation. Dental radiographs are usually taken within the dental clinic and are not routinely reported by the radiologists. Instead, dental surgeons themselves use them for diagnostic purposes.Intra Oral Periapical radiographs, Upper Standard Occlusal radiographs, and Dental Panoramic Tomographs are frequently taken in dental practice despite their inherent limitations. Although there are better imaging techniques propitious in clinical practice, increased radiation exposure and higher cost, make them less utilized as a primary tool in day-to-day practice. Therefore, it is imperative to have a better knowledge of natural structures that are superimposed in dental radiographs. Instituting other investigations with thorough clinical assessment is highly recommended in doubtful cases.This mini review presents a series of radiographs where normal anatomical counterparts simulate pathology in them. All the presented cases were taken in Sri Lanka under the purview of the authors.