An OPG — orthopantomogram, or panoramic dental X-ray — captures the upper and lower jaw, all the teeth and the jaw joints in a single wide image.
What it is used for
- Assessing wisdom teeth and their position before extraction
- Planning dentures, braces and implants
- Looking at teeth that have not come through
- Cysts and other lesions in the jaw
- Jaw fracture after injury
- An overview of bone levels across both jaws
The examination
You stand or sit with your chin on a rest and bite gently on a positioning guide while the machine rotates around your head. It takes under a minute. You will be asked to remove earrings, necklaces and any removable dental appliance, and to stay still while it moves. Tell the operator if you are, or may be, pregnant.
