Ace the HESI Chairside Challenge 2026 – Elevate Your Dental Assisting Skills!

The panoramic radiograph is the most common type used to visualize the entire mouth because it captures a broad view of the dental arch, including all teeth, the surrounding bone, and other anatomical structures in a single image. This type of radiograph is particularly beneficial in providing a comprehensive overview for diagnosing dental issues that might not be easily identifiable in localized radiographs, such as bitewings or periapicals.

Panoramic images are created using a specialized x-ray machine that rotates around the patient’s head, capturing images in a continuous motion. This makes it particularly useful for evaluating conditions that affect multiple teeth or anatomical areas simultaneously, such as orthodontic planning, assessing jaw relationships, or detecting cysts and tumors.

In contrast, other types of radiographs serve more specific purposes. Bitewing radiographs focus on the crowns of the teeth and are primarily used for detecting interproximal caries and assessing the height of bone surrounding the teeth. Periapical radiographs are designed to show the entire tooth, including its root structure and surrounding bone, but they do not provide a full view of the entire mouth at once. Cone beam CT, while advanced and highly detailed, is used in more specialized cases like implant planning and usually involves greater exposure to radiation and