The aim of this study was to evaluate a simple mnemonic rule (the RB–RB/LB–LB rule) for recording intra-oral radiographs with optimal projection for the control of dental implants.

30 third-year dental students received a short lesson in the RB–RB/LB–LB mnemonic rule. The rule is as follows: if right blur then raise beam (RB–RB), i.e. if implant threads are blurred at the right side of the implant, the X-ray beam direction must be raised towards the ceiling to obtain sharp threads on both implant sides; if left blur then lower beam (LB–LB), i.e. if implant threads are blurred at the left side of the implant, the X-ray beam direction must be lowered towards the floor to obtain sharp threads on both implant sides. Intra-oral radiographs of four screw-type implants placed with different inclination in a Frasaco upper or lower jaw dental model (Frasaco GmbH, Tettnang, Germany) were recorded. The students were unaware of the inclination of the implants and were instructed to re-expose each implant, implementing the mnemonic rule, until an image of the implant with acceptable quality (subjectively judged by the instructor) was obtained. Subsequently, each radiograph was blindly assessed with respect to sharpness of the implant threads and assigned to one of four quality categories: (1) perfect, (2) not perfect, but clinically acceptable, (3) not acceptable and (4) hopeless.

For all implants, from one non-perfect exposure to the following, a higher score was obtained in 64% of the cases, 28% received the same score and 8% obtained a lower score. Only a small variation was observed among exposures of implants with different inclination. On average, two exposures per implant (range: one to eight exposures) were needed to obtain a clinically acceptable image.

The RB–RB/LB–LB mnemonic rule for recording intra-oral radiographs of dental implants with a correct projection was easy to implement by inexperienced examiners.