Accurate diagnosis is the cornerstone of effective treatment in oral and dental health. In dental practices, imaging methods are of great importance alongside clinical examination. Among these imaging methods, one of the most frequently utilized examinations that provides the most comprehensive information is the panoramic X-ray. This method, which allows for the evaluation of all dental arches, jawbones, and jaw joints in a single image, is an indispensable tool in both routine dental examinations and surgical planning. Panoramic X-ray, which can be safely applied to every age group from pediatric patients to elderly individuals, is accepted as one of the fundamental imaging methods of modern dentistry.
What is a Panoramic X-ray?
A panoramic X-ray is a two-dimensional dental imaging method in which the upper and lower jawbones, all teeth, jaw joints, and surrounding structures are shown panoramically in a single image. Unlike classic small dental X-rays, the entire oral cavity can be evaluated at once. In this respect, it offers the physician a quick and broad perspective. Since the image is obtained via digital sensors, it is transferred to the screen in seconds and can be analyzed in detail with artificial intelligence-supported software.
Working Principle
In a panoramic X-ray device, the X-ray source and the detector rotate in a semicircle around the patient's head. During this process, an image of the jaw structures is recorded by the digital sensor using a low dose of X-rays. Computer software converts the curved jaw anatomy into a single flattened panoramic image. The exposure time lasts only 15-20 seconds. This short duration makes it easier for pediatric patients, in particular, to remain still.
In Which Situations Is It Used?
Panoramic X-ray is used in a wide range of indications in many fields of dentistry:
- General dental and jaw examination: Initial evaluation examination
- Wisdom tooth control: Detection of impacted and tilted teeth
- Implant planning: Evaluation of jawbone height and density
- Before orthodontic treatment: Treatment planning and monitoring of dental development
- Cyst and tumor research: Pathologies in the jawbones
- Jaw fractures: Fracture detection after trauma
- Jaw joint diseases: Temporomandibular joint evaluation
- Sinusitis research: Condition of the maxillary sinuses
- Pediatric dentistry: Monitoring of primary and permanent tooth transitions
- Periodontal evaluation: Examination of the gums and surrounding bone tissue
- Searching for foreign bodies in the jaw
Advantages of Panoramic X-ray
Compared to classic small dental X-rays, panoramic X-ray offers many advantages:
- Wide field of view: The entire mouth is evaluated in a single image.
- Patient comfort: No film or sensor is placed inside the mouth.
- Fast imaging: The procedure is completed in just seconds.
- Low radiation dose: The dose is quite low in modern digital devices.
- Pediatric compliance: It can be easily applied to young children.
- Multi-structure evaluation: Teeth, bones, and joints are examined simultaneously.
- Surgical planning: It is an indispensable tool before extractions and implants.
- Digital recording: Images can be archived and compared.
- Detection of dental needs in a single session
- Ease for patients with a dental gag reflex
How Does the Examination Process Proceed?
No special preparation is required before a panoramic X-ray. Before the imaging, the physician briefly informs the patient, and jewelry and metal accessories are removed. If there is a suspicion of pregnancy, it must be reported to the physician. Removable dentures are also removed from the mouth during the procedure.
Imaging Phase
The patient stands upright in front of the device, places their chin on the special support point, and bites onto the bite block. The back is kept straight, and the shoulders are kept back. While the device rotates slowly around the head, the patient must remain still and hold their breath. The imaging is completed in 15-20 seconds. Parental support may be recommended to ensure stillness in pediatric patients.
Evaluation of Results
The digital image appears on the screen in a short time. The dentist or oral and maxillofacial radiologist examines and reports the image in detail. In cases deemed necessary, advanced examinations such as dental volumetric tomography (CBCT) may be recommended. Images are stored in a digital archive, providing the opportunity for comparison in treatment follow-up.
Points to Consider
To obtain the most accurate results from the examination, some issues should be considered:
- Metal items such as earrings, necklaces, glasses, and hairpins should be removed before imaging.
- Removable dentures must be removed from the mouth during the procedure.
- Suspicion of pregnancy must be communicated to the physician in advance.
- The head must be kept still, and breathing should be paused during the imaging.
- Parental support may be required to ensure stillness during imaging in pediatric patients.
- Those with neck discomfort or back problems may have difficulty standing upright; this should be reported to the physician.
- Regularly taken medications and chronic diseases should be shared with the physician for the dental treatment plan.
- Patients using hearing aids should remove them before imaging.
- Hair clips and metal hair accessories should be removed.
- Clothing containing metal buttons, such as neck scarves and shawls, should be removed.
Comparison of Panoramic X-ray and Dental Volumetric Tomography
Since panoramic X-ray is a two-dimensional imaging method, it may not be sufficient in some clinical situations. Especially in dental implant planning, impacted tooth surgery, jaw tumor evaluation, and jaw joint pathologies, dental volumetric tomography (CBCT) comes into play as a complementary method. CBCT provides detailed information about jawbone density, nerve pathways, sinus structure, and the three-dimensional position of teeth by offering high-resolution three-dimensional images. Compared to classic medical CT, the radiation dose in CBCT is much lower.
The Importance of Regular Dental Imaging
Panoramic X-rays, performed every 3-5 years in adults and at more frequent intervals in children for developmental monitoring, play an important role in protecting oral and dental health. Cysts detected at an early stage, problems caused by impacted teeth, and jaw pathologies can be treated with minimally invasive methods. Detecting asymptomatic jawbone diseases in healthy individuals is only possible through imaging. Therefore, panoramic X-ray screenings planned within the scope of regular dentist check-ups are an important tool for the long-term protection of oral and dental health.
As Koru Hospital, we evaluate the dental and jaw health of our patients at the highest standards with our modern digital panoramic X-ray devices and our experienced oral and maxillofacial surgery and radiology team. Thanks to low-dose technology, we keep radiation safety at the highest level and care about the comfort of our pediatric and adult patients. Thanks to our radiology unit, which works in coordination with our dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and orthodontists, we report panoramic X-ray results quickly and support them with advanced imaging such as dental volumetric tomography when necessary. With our examination and treatment plans tailored to each individual, we provide reliable service in a wide range of areas from implant applications to orthodontic treatments in protecting dental health; we are honored to be by your side to protect the oral and dental health of all our patients, from children to the elderly.
