What is a Digital Panoramic X-ray

We have recently installed a digtal panorex machine in our dental office. While we have had a film based panorex for years, the technology has led to a lot of questions from our patients. What is a panorex? How is different from other dental x-rays? Why is it better than our film panorex machine?

A panorex is a two dimensional dental x-ray that displays both the upper and lower jaws and teeth in the same image. We use a panorex to view these areas approximately every five years.

Panorex machines have chin and forehead rests, side head positioners, and bite-blocks that patients will be asked to close their teeth around. All this may look and feel intimidating, but the process is very safe and uses less radiation than a full series of intraoral radiographs.

Because a digital panorex produces anatomically correct geometry and elimination of shadows it is a great tool to evaluate:

Growth and development of the teeth and jaw
Tooth-Sinus relationship
Nerve-Tooth relationships
Abscesses
Fractures
Orthodontic alignment of the teeth
Detecting oral cancer (and non-cancerous growths)
Diagnosis of third molars (wisdom teeth)
Assess the TMJ ( jaw joint)

Panoramic X-ray

A digital panorex has many advantages over a film based x-ray.

Images can be stored electronically and emailed to specialists and insurance companies.
The image quality is far crisper and uniformly exposed than film
They are faster, producing images that can be viewed almost instantly.
They’re safer, with no chemical development and significantly less radiation.
We can enhance images to improve viewing.

Today’s post was written personally by Drs. David and Janna Civils. Do you have a question for either Dr. David or Dr. Janna? We would love to hear from you!