The history of X-rays

On November 8, 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen accidentally discovered an image cast from his cathode ray generator, projected far beyond the possible range of the cathode rays (now known as an electron beam). Further investigation showed that the rays were generated at the point of contact of the cathode ray beam on the interior of the vacuum tube, that they were not deflected by magnetic fields, and they penetrated many kinds of matter.

A week after his discovery, Röntgen took an X-ray photograph of his wife’s hand which clearly revealed her wedding ring and her bones. The photograph electrified the general public and aroused great scientific interest in the new form of radiation. Röntgen named the new form of radiation X-radiation (X standing for unknown) hence the term X-rays (they are also referred to as Röntgen rays, though this term is unusual outside of Germany).

William Coolidge invented the X-ray tube popularly called the Coolidge tube. His invention revolutionised the generation of X-rays and is the model upon which all X-ray tubes for medical applications are based. Without these original discoveries, dentistry would not be the progressive, technology-driven discipline that it is today.