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By introduction of rare earth film-screen combinations instead of classical screens dose reduction has already been possible. By this study the extent of dose reduction without loss of clinical information was to be examined by comparing conventional radiographic rare earth film-screen combinations to digital radiography. Statistical analysis proves for conventional lateral cephalograms that soft tissue reference points can better be localized if small radiation doses are used. The localization of reference points in areas of less radiographic transparency is better when applying higher doses. These results were not found in images by digital radiographic technique. Reference points both of soft tissue and of more dense areas of the skull were equally to be localized independent from radiation dose by the linear sensibility characteristics of digital radiography. This enables reduction of radiation doses and therefore a contribution to radioprotection.