Panoramic X-rays
What is Panoramic X-ray?
Panoramic radiography, also called panoramic x-ray, is a two-dimensional (2-D) dental x-ray examination that captures the entire mouth in a single image, including the teeth, upper and lower jaws, surrounding structures and tissues.
The jaw is a curved structure similar to that of a horseshoe. However, the panoramic x-ray produces a flat image of the curved structure. It usually provides details of the bones and teeth.
An x-ray exam helps doctors diagnose and treat medical conditions. It exposes you to a small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the body. X-rays are the oldest and most often used form of medical imaging.
Unlike a traditional intraoral x-ray where the film/x-ray detector is placed inside of the mouth, the film for a panoramic x-ray is contained inside of the machine.
What are some common uses of the procedure?
A panoramic x-ray is a commonly performed examination by dentists and oral surgeons in everyday practice and is an important diagnostic tool. It covers a wider area than a conventional intraoral x-ray and, as a result, provides valuable information about the maxillary sinuses, tooth positioning and other bone abnormalities. This examination is also used to plan treatment for full and partial dentures, braces, extractions and implants.
A panoramic x-ray can also reveal dental and medical problems such as:
- advanced periodontal disease
- cysts in the jaw bones
- jaw tumors and oral cancer
- impacted teeth including wisdom teeth
- jaw disorders (also known as temporomandibular joint or TMJ disorders)
- sinusitis
What How should I prepare?
A panoramic x-ray examination requires no special preparation.
You may be asked to wear a lead apron as a safety precaution to protect the rest of your body from any radiation exposure that may scatter from the panoramic x-ray beam. You may also be asked to remove your jewelry from the region being imaged, eye glasses and any metal objects that might interfere with the x-ray images.
Women should always inform their dentist or oral surgeon if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. Many imaging tests are not performed during pregnancy so as not to expose the fetus to radiation. If an x-ray is necessary, precautions will be taken to minimize radiation exposure to the baby. See the Safety page for more information about pregnancy and x-rays.
Seablue Dental Office FAQ
Everyone’s needs are different, so have a chat to your dentist about how often you need to have your teeth checked by them based on the condition of your mouth, teeth and gums. It’s recommended that children see their dentist at least once a year.
Regular checkups keep you updated with your oral health and help diagnose and timely treatment of any problems developing in your tooth or gums or oral tissues.
You dentist will conduct an exam and x-rays at your dental visits and educate you about your oral health.
Call us at 253-336-3000 or email us at [email protected]
Regular brushing and flossing after every meal should keep the food particles from depositing in crevices of your tooth and hence keeps the harmful bacteria causing the tooth decay in check.
If there is a medical emergency or life threatening condition, call 911 or go to nearest ER.
Sometimes. Contact us for a consultation.
