In an intraoral film, what should ideally face the patient?

In intraoral radiography, the light-sensitive surface of the film must face the patient. This is because the film is coated with emulsion that contains silver halide crystals, which are sensitive to radiation. When the X-ray beam passes through the oral structures and interacts with the film, the light-sensitive surface captures the image by responding to the X-ray exposure.

The pimple on the top left, while it could indicate a position marker for a specific orientation, is not relevant to the function of the film in capturing images. The darker side of the film represents the side that has been exposed to radiation and is not meant to face the patient. Furthermore, the film holder is used to support and position the film properly but does not serve as a surface that needs to face the patient during the exposure process.

Proper positioning of the film is critical for obtaining clear and diagnostically useful radiographs, further emphasizing the importance of having the correct surface facing the patient during the procedure.