Where are the tooth apices projected on the receptor?

• A. Toward the receptor
• B. At the receptor
• C. Farther from the receptor
• D. Beyond the receptor

Answer: (C)

In radiographs, how a structure appears depends on its distance from the receptor. The receptor sits against the tooth on one side, while the tooth extends away from it toward the apex. Structures that are farther from the receptor become more magnified on the image, so the tooth apex is projected farther from the receptor than the crown. That is why the apices end up at the far end of the image rather than near or on the receptor, and certainly not beyond the receptor plane.