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features Errors in Panoramic Radiography

Errors in panoramic radiography are usually from two different sources: patient positioning errors and darkroom errors (film-based radiography). In this self-tutorial, several radiographs are included to demostrate patient positioning errors. Please review the six examples of most common errors in panoramic radiography. Eliminating these common errors will provide us with better diagnosis.

Panoramic Erros Case 6

On this panoramic radiograph, the anterior teeth are wider than usual. The patient did not properly bite on the bite block. The anterior teeth were farther away from the groove and the film. Therefore, the anterior teeth are magnified. On the midline of the image is a white shadow of the cervical vertebra. Since the anterior teeth were away from the film, the soft tissue of the nose was on the focal trough and appears fairly distinct. The vertical position of the patient is also not correct. The superior margins of the condylar heads are not recorded. Patient's head is slightly rotated-- the right angle is slightly superior than the left angle. A maxillary partial denture was not removed.