What are panoramic dental x-rays and why do dentists take them to their patients?

Panoramic dental x-rays are images that capture a dimensional wide view of a patient’s entire mouth. They show our specialized dentists in Tijuana very important details such as bone level, areas with infection, root, and tooth positioning, especially for wisdom teeth removal, even though they don’t show in detail soft tissue and nerves, this does not mean they are not useful, each study is used to diagnose and treat different dental issues.

Which of this studies the dentist will use will depend on their patient’s needs and the latest technology available in their practice, in some cases a panoramic dental x-rays image gets the necessary details and others will require a computerized CT scan in combination with trios intraoral scanner records, when a patient is in need of multiple dental implants the second mentioned option reduces to almost zero the margin of failure and it guarantees the functional and esthetic results.

It is a personalized case scenario. There are a wide variety of diagnostic tools and studies of different brands out there, the most important fact is for your dentist to count with them for your own security, safety and guarantee result when solving your dental issue, some of these studies and tools are used by themselves and also combine.

Panoramic dental x-rays are used to cover a wider area and acquiring valuable information to provide:

• Full and partial dentures
• Braces
• Extractions
• Implants
• Tooth positioning
• Infection
• Sinus characteristics

A panoramic x-ray can also reveal dental and medical problems such as:

• Advanced periodontal disease
• Maximaliar sinuses
• Bone abnormalities
• Impacted teeth
• Jaw disorders (also known as temporomandibular joint or TMJ disorders)
• Oral tumors

A dentist who suspects any of these problems may choose to take additional studies after taking and reviewing a panoramic X-ray. To properly diagnose any abnormalities, here at Dental Alvarez, our dentists in Tijuana use computed technology (CT scan) to perform a 3D scan of your entire mouth which provides us with the most precise measurements to ensure the most accurate results possible.

How frequently do I have to take dental x-rays?

This will depend on the condition of your oral health, when going to your regular 6-month professional cleaning and evaluation, if your dentist sees any minor or major cavity formation he or she will suggest to take x-rays to check for possible mayor damage underneath, if experiencing pain or discomfort and in some occasions just a set of bitewings to check for cavity formation in between your teeth, since is a non visible area we normally don’t find out about this type of cavity formation until the damage is advanced.

When a patient needs to be checked with dental x-rays more often is when they have an unstable dental situation, in which the dentist specialist needs to monitor your progress, to see if the treatment is going well, stable or not responding properly, so they can act accordingly.

Remember that digital dental x rays emit very low radiation, and the purpose of all examinations is to identify hidden problems on an early stage, before it could put you through future pain, discomfort or even worse your health in risk. Besides, x rays are the only way to see under the tissue and bone, providing information that could not have been obtained simply by viewing clinically.