Modern dentistry has long moved beyond simple visual inspection. More than 60% of the tooth volume and its surrounding tissues are hidden from the doctor’s eyes beneath the gums and bone. This is exactly why high-quality diagnostics are impossible without X-rays. And this is why timely and regular dental consultations are so important.
Today, clinics have three main types of examinations in their arsenal: intraoral X-rays, panoramic X-rays (OPG), and computed tomography (CT). Each serves its own purpose and possesses different levels of detail and radiation doses. Let’s look at which cases each method is prescribed for.
Intraoral X-ray (Periapical X-ray)
This is the simplest and most common type of examination, often called a “targeted” or “periapical” X-ray. The image focuses on one or two teeth.
- What it is: A small digital sensor is placed directly into the patient’s mouth, and the device takes a picture of a specific area.
- When it is prescribed: For treating cavities, pulpitis (to see the root canals), checking the quality of a filling, or monitoring healing after a tooth extraction.
- Advantages: Maximum detail of a specific area and one of the lowest radiation doses among dental radiological methods.
- Disadvantages: The image provides a flat (2D) view and does not show the overall picture of the jaw or the condition of neighboring zones.
Panoramic Dental X-ray (OPG — Orthopantomogram)
If a targeted X-ray is a “photograph of a single tree,” then an OPG is a “panoramic shot of the entire forest.”
- What it is: An overview 2D image of both jaws, maxillary sinuses, and temporomandibular joints. During the procedure, the scanner makes a full rotation around the patient’s head.
- What is visible: The position of all teeth (including unerupted “wisdom teeth”), bone tissue condition, presence of cysts, and hidden inflammation beneath the roots.
- Advantages: It allows the doctor to assess the state of the entire dental system at once. A panoramic X-ray is often prescribed during primary diagnostics for a comprehensive evaluation.
- When it is prescribed: Before installing braces, when planning comprehensive treatment, and for assessing the condition of wisdom teeth.
- Disadvantages: Since it is a 2D image, overlapping shadows and slight size distortions may occur, which is critical for complex implantation.
Computed Tomography (CT/CBCT/3D Scan)
The gold standard for surgical and implantological interventions is Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT).
- What it is: A three-dimensional image that the doctor can rotate on the screen, studying every millimeter of tissue in different planes and sections.
- Advantages: No distortion. The doctor sees the exact bone thickness, the precise number and curvature of root canals, and hidden inflammatory processes invisible on 2D images.
- When dental CT is prescribed: Implantation (mandatory!), complex root canal retreatments, planning surgical operations, and serious orthodontic treatment.
- Disadvantages: The cost is higher than a regular X-ray, and the procedure requires special equipment that is not available in all clinics.
- Comparison: If an OPG provides a flat diagram, then a CT is a full 3D model of your jaw.
Safety and Radiation Doses
One of the main myths is the high dose of radiation. Let us reassure you: modern digital radiovisiographs and tomographs have a minimal level of radiation exposure. For reference, the effective dose for modern digital studies is approximately:
- targeted X-ray — 1–8 µSv,
- panoramic X-ray (OPG) — 4–30 µSv,
- cone-beam CT (CBCT) — 50–200 µSv (depending on the scanning volume and protocol).
These values are significantly lower than the annual natural background radiation (approx. 2400–3000 µSv per year) and comply with the recommendations of the IAEA and the American Dental Association (ADA).
Patients are often concerned about dental treatment during pregnancy. In such cases, studies are conducted strictly according to a doctor’s indications, using protective gear, and only when necessary—when the diagnostic benefit outweighs the potential risks.
Diagnostics is the foundation of your treatment. Without X-ray control, the doctor is limited only to visual diagnosis, which can lead to medical errors and unnecessary expenses in the future.
Do not ignore your doctor’s recommendations: a correct and timely X-ray saves your time, your budget, and most importantly—the health of your teeth!
