A periapical radiograph shows which?

• A. The alveolar crest only
• B. Entire crown, root, and surrounding bone
• C. Only the crown
• D. Only the root apex

Answer: (B)

Periapical radiographs are meant to show the entire tooth length from crown through the root tip and the surrounding bone. This setup lets you assess the tooth’s crown and full root, plus the periapical region and the lamina dura around the roots, which is where most pathology or bone changes show up. That combination—crown, full root, and surrounding bone—explains why the image displays all of them rather than just the crown, just the root apex, or just the alveolar crest.