When would a panoramic dental x-ray is necessary?

Oral Surgery : A panorex x-ray shows the entire mouth along with the surrounding structures. It is indicated for many oral surgical procedures such as the removal of wisdom teeth, implants, trauma, TMJ problems etc. It is also useful with patients who gag easily and can not tolerate periapical (intraoral) x-rays.

Not for General: A panorex x-ray is entirely different from the individual x-rays dentists use to diagnose cavities. It can be used for orthodontics, oral surgery procedures, implants, (although we prefer a cat scan, as it gives much more detailed views). It is not best used for general dental exams, as it is not helpful in identifying cavities on the surface or between teeth.

Usually around age 7: When the permanent teeth start to erupt it is a good idea to survey the entire dentition, both erupted and those teeth in the bone still forming. In that way the dentist can plan better for the future.

For evaluations: Panoramic x-rays are taken to evaluate for orthodontics, wisdom tooth removal and implants.

When prescribed: A panoramic radiographic survey is often a common screening tool for dentists and other dental specialists to provide an overall two dimension evaluation of your dental development. It does not replace the smaller x-rays that dentists take to evaluate specific sites. In other words, if the dentist is looking for cavities, it's not the best tool. It's wonderful for so many other things though.

Broad overview: Unlike regular dental x-rays which show minute detail of a small area, panoramic x rays provide a broad overview. They are used for evaluating relationships, jaw bone pathology, impacted teeth, arthritic jaw joint changes, abscessed teeth, cysts, sinus involvement, and so much more. Panoramic films are safe and effective.