The occlusal view reveals the skeletal or pathological anatomy of either the floor of the mouth or the palate.
The occlusal film, which is about three to four times the size of the film used to take a periapical or bitewing, is inserted into the mouth so as to entirely separate the maxillary and mandibular teeth, and the film is exposed either from under the chin or angled down from the top of the nose.
Sometimes, it is placed in the inside of the cheek to confirm the presence of a sialolith in Stenson's duct, which carries saliva from the parotid gland.
The occlusal view is not included in the standard full mouth series.
