Orthopantomograms (OPG) & Lateral Cephalograms

Orthopantomograms (OPGs) and lateral cephalograms are dental x-rays. They specifically create images of the lower face, teeth and jaw.

An OPG produce a panoramic image of the mouth, teeth and all the bones of both the upper and lower jaws. The lateral cephalogram creates a sideways image of the face.

An OPG allows the doctor to:

View the number, position and growth of all the teeth including those that have not surfaced yet,
Detect problems arising from the jawbone and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ),
Planning orthodontic treatments and pre-operative assessments prior to certain surgeries such as Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG).

Preparation

There is no specific preparation for this type of x-ray.

It is important to inform a member of staff as soon as possible if you are pregnant or suspect you are pregnant BEFORE the test is performed. The examination may not be appropriate or special considerations or precautions might need to be taken.

Procedure

All jewellery (earrings, necklaces) and any metal objects must be removed from the head, neck and face region for all dental x-rays.

Orthopantomograms (OPG)
An OPG requires you to stand with your chin resting on a small shelf and to bite gently on a mouth piece while the x-ray machine rotates around your head creating an image.

Lateral Cephalogram
A Lateral Cephalogram will require you to stand with your head against a plate and a pair of cone shaped plastic supports (like headphones) are gently positioned in each ear to ensure proper alignment of the face.
You will not experience any discomfort during the examination.

For safety reasons there cannot be anyone in the room during the x-ray and relatives must wait outside. A staff member will be behind the glass window a short distance away watching the patient at all times during the scan should there be any concerns.

Dental x-rays are simple and only require approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.

Results

A specialised doctor will carefully analyse your images and make a report to your referring doctor. If the referring doctor is in the hospital they will be able to access the results on their computer. If you are an out-patient and require a copy of the images then a disc of images can be made available within 5 working days after the scan.