CT Scans & Panoramic Dental X-rays

Before any type of dental treatment which types of x-rays need to be taken? Most patients understand that x-rays need to be taken for diagnostic purposes but often don’t the difference between CT scans and panoramic x-rays, so what’s the difference?

Panoramic X-rays

Panoramic dental x-rays are used by dentists and oral surgeons in everyday practice and may be used to plan treatment for dentures, braces, extractions and implants. A panoramic x-ray makes it possible for dentists to accurately assess your oral health condition remotely and provide a cost estimate for your treatment plan. 

A panoramic x-ray can help dentists indentify tooth decay especially those under a filling, tooth infections which are under the gum line, bone loss, tumors and wisdom teeth impaction. If x-rays are not done prior to treatment then it’s difficult to diagnose the problem and provide the correct treatment.

CT Scans

Another form of diagnostic imaging is the Cone Beam CT Scans (CBCT) also known as CT scans. A CBCT uses x-rays and computer-processed x-ray information to produce 3D cross-sectional images of the jaws and teeth. CBCT provides detailed images of the bone and is used to evaluate diseases of the jaw, dentition, structures of the face, nasal cavity and sinuses. 

Difference between CT scans & panoramic x-rays?

In comparison to panoramic x-rays, CBCT scans provide three-dimensional imaging to give the dentist a better understanding of the imaging of hard tissues, whereas panoramic x-rays only provide two-dimensional images.