Patent ID: 8363780

Claim:
Dental X-ray apparatus of the cone beam computed tomography type, comprising: an X-ray generator ( 18 ) adapted to emit a beam of X-rays toward an object and provided with collimation means adapted to collimate the emitted beam, an X-ray sensor having an active surface ( 20 a ) disposed facing the generator, the generator and the sensor being adapted to be moved simultaneously in rotation about a rotation axis ( 30 ), characterized in that the sensor ( 20 ) is oriented in such a manner that a longitudinal axis ( 34 ) extending from the generator to the sensor and passing through the rotation axis ( 30 ) is perpendicular to the active surface of the sensor, the center of the sensor being offset transversely relative to the projection of the axis ( 34 ) onto the active surface of the sensor, and the arrangement of the collimation means and the sensor offset in this way being such that the collimated beam illuminates the active surface of said sensor leaving a peripheral area of said surface weakly illuminated by the collimated beam compared to the rest of the active surface so as to provide an x-ray radio protection function.