What radiograph exposures might be omitted for a FMS on a 65-year-old patient?

In the context of a Full Mouth Series (FMS) for a 65-year-old patient, the decision to omit Bitewing (BW) films is rooted in the specific needs and typical condition of older patients. Generally, BW films are particularly useful for detecting caries between teeth and assessing interproximal surfaces, which can be critical for younger patients or those with higher caries activity.

However, in older adults, especially if they exhibit significant tooth loss or have a lower risk of caries due to factors such as past dental care or dietary habits, the necessity for routine BW films can diminish. If the patient has complete or partial edentulous areas that would not yield useful diagnostic information from BW films, these exposures may not be essential. Instead, the focus might shift to ensuring that anterior and posterior films provide adequate coverage of the remaining teeth and supporting structures without redundancy from the BW films.

Thus, omitting BW films can be a reasonable approach in this demographic, optimizing the FMS while keeping radiation exposure to a minimum by tailoring the radiographic assessment to the patient's specific clinical needs.