Orthopantomogram (dental panoramic X-ray)
Dental panoramic X-ray in Casablanca
A dental panoramic X-ray, also called a panoramic or orthopantomogram (OPG), gives an overview of both jaws in a single image: all the teeth, their roots, the bone that holds them, the jaw joints and the lower part of the sinuses. It uses a low dose of X-rays. Your dentist or orthodontist uses it to carry out a complete assessment, find impacted teeth or plan treatment.
Duration, report and equipment
Duration
The machine's rotation lasts only a few seconds; including positioning, the exam usually takes less than five minutes.
Report turnaround
Report within 24 hours. In an emergency, during opening hours, the report is handed over immediately.
Equipment
Planmeca
When is this exam needed?
- Overall dental assessment before treatment, or when several teeth are causing problems.
- Looking for impacted or misplaced teeth, especially wisdom teeth before they are extracted.
- Orthodontic assessment in children and teenagers, often combined with a lateral cephalometric X-ray of the skull.
- Jaw pain or swelling, looking for a cyst or an infection at the tip of a root.
- Initial assessment before implant placement, supplemented if needed by a three-dimensional exam.
- Check after a jaw injury or dental treatment.
How the exam is done
You remove glasses, earrings, necklaces, mouth piercings and removable dentures. A protective apron may be offered to you. You stand, or sit depending on the machine, with your chin on a rest and your front teeth biting a small single-use bite block, which places the jaws in the right position.
You are asked to press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, close your lips and stop moving. The arm of the machine then rotates slowly around your head for a few seconds. This movement is painless, with a slight humming sound. The image appears immediately on the radiographer's screen, and they check its quality before letting you go.
Preparation
- Before the exam, remove facial and neck jewelry, glasses, hearing aids and removable dentures.
- If you wear a removable orthodontic appliance, bring it: depending on the orthodontist's request, an image may be taken with and without the appliance.
- For a child, explain that they will need to stay still for a few seconds, standing as if for a photo.
Fasting
No fasting is needed: you can eat and drink normally before the X-ray.
Contrast injection
No contrast agent is used: the panoramic X-ray is a simple X-ray, with no needle.
Contraindications and precautions
- Current or possible pregnancy: please tell us, even though the dose is low and the beam is not aimed at the abdomen; the dentist decides whether to wait.
- Difficulty standing or staying still: let the team know, and they will adapt the positioning.
- Jewelry, tongue or lip piercings and removable dentures: to be removed, as they create shadows on the image.
- Fixed braces, crowns or implants: they do not prevent the exam but show up on the image.
Documents to bring
- Prescription from the dentist or orthodontist
- Previous dental X-rays, if you have any
- For a child, previous orthodontic reports
- Insurance or mutual insurance fund card
Price and insurance coverage
The center accepts coverage from insurance companies and the main mutual insurance funds. You submit the coverage request to your insurer or fund yourself. For AtlantaSanad and Sanlam, the center takes care of it.
No prices are shown on this site: Kenza gives you the exact price on WhatsApp, along with the coverage procedure for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
How is it different from the small X-ray taken at the dentist's office?
The periapical X-ray, taken in the dentist's chair, shows two or three teeth in great detail. The panoramic X-ray shows the whole mouth on a single image, with the jaws and sinuses. The two exams complement each other: the dentist chooses based on what they are looking for.
Is a panoramic X-ray enough before an implant is placed?
It gives a first view of the bone and of the path of the jaw nerve, but in two dimensions. To measure the bone thickness and the distance to the nerve precisely, the surgeon often requests a cone beam CT, which provides three-dimensional images.
Can my child have this exam?
Yes, panoramic X-rays are very often done in children, especially for an orthodontic assessment. The child just needs to stay still for a few seconds, standing, with their chin on the rest. The team explains each step before starting, to reassure them.
Are the X-rays from a panoramic X-ray dangerous?
The X-ray dose of a panoramic X-ray is low, lower than that of many other radiology exams. It is done only if your dentist considers it useful. Still, tell us about a current or possible pregnancy before the exam.