Unless your dentist needs to see extreme close-ups of your teeth as in the case of root canal treatment, the days of enduring those uncomfortable Periapical dental X-rays that only show one or two teeth, are over. No more trying not to gag while biting down on nasty tasting bits of card and film with hard, metal dental implements holding your mouth open and your lips apart. The latest in dental imaging is here. Panorex, or panoramic radiography is painless, fast, easy and the digital image – yes, just one – can show all of your teeth at once. While your head is held comfortable by the rests, the X-ray machine does all the work.
The Benefits of Panorex X-rays
- They are painless, fast, and easy to perform.
- They capture your entire mouth in one image that includes your teeth and their positioning, upper and lower jaws including any abnormalities, surrounding structures, and tissues, including your maxillary sinuses.
- They can provide valuable diagnostic information your dentist will need to correctly treat your dental needs such as the treatment plan for dentures, braces, extractions and implants, as well as oral disease including advanced periodontal disease, cysts in the jaw bones, jaw tumours, impacted teeth including wisdom teeth, oral cancer, sinusitis, and painful TMJ disorders.
- If you have a sensitive gag reflex, you no longer need be concerned as, with no hard card and film or uncomfortable dental implements in your mouth, the procedure is markedly more comfortable than intraoral Periapical X-rays.
- Because nothing is placed in the patient’s mouth, Panorex X-rays can be used to X-ray very young children.
- There is only one small dose of ionizing radiation, far less than traditional X-rays, to which both you and the dentist were exposed.
- There is no residual radiation left in your body after the X-ray is taken.
- There are usually no side-effects.
How do Panorex X-rays work?
- Panorex X-rays are digital, there’s no film involved. This allows the dentist to adjust contrast and lighting to enhance the images for a clearer image and a more detailed evaluation.
- You are positioned so that your head is held within chin, forehead, and side rests. If necessary, you may have a bite blocker between your teeth. This gives a clearer end image and makes sure your teeth are properly aligned. The machine’s arm rotates around your head for up to 20 seconds as it takes the image. All you have to do is stay as still as possible.
- Despite the fact that jaws are curved structures, a Panorex x-ray produces one flat image.
3 Things to remember with ALL X-rays
- As with all X-rays, women should inform their dentist, surgeon, X-ray technician, or doctor whenever they think they could be or are pregnant.
- Remove any jewellery, spectacles, or metal objects that could interfere with the X-ray image.
- Your dentist may ask you to wear a lead apron. This blocks your vital organs from any, although unlikely, radiation.
Does Team Dental do Panorex X-rays?
Not every branch of Team Dental does Panorex X-rays, but we do have a facility in each region -Christchurch, Whangarei, or Tauranga and its surrounds that does provide them.
If you would like to talk to us about how to best ensure your teeth are in perfect health, contact us on 0508 TEAM DENTAL and make an appointment today.
