During dental radiographic procedures, faults may occur which result in radiographs of poor diagnostic quality. The faults of positioning and alignment invariably mean that the radiograph has to be retaken and the patient exposed once more to radiation. Other possible faults, such as over-exposure, over-development, under-development or under-exposure, although the positioning is correct, can be very frustrating: the image on the radiograph may be too dark or too light to be of any diagnostic quality. There are ways of lightening and darkening radiographs. Many of these methods have been lost from textbooks and lectures on dental radiography. This article attempts to remedy this loss.