An Orthopantomographic Solution for Localization of Impacted Tooth

Objective: To examine the reliability of localization of the impacted teeth by assessing orthopantomographs. Methods: 32 patients with impacted teeth were included in this research. The impacted teeth were localized by various roentgenographic techniques including parallax, OR(occlusal radiograph), PR(panoramic radiograph) and orthopantomograph(panoramic cross-section radiograph, cephalometic radiograph, sinus lateral cross-section radiograph) which were taken by Morita VERAVIEWEPOCS panoramic radiograph X-ray machine. Orthopantomographs were evaluated to pinpoint the lingual or buccal positioning of the impacted teeth, and compared this approach to other conventional techniques, such as the approach of three-periapical-films examination and PR-OR combination. Results: Dentomaxillary orthopantomograph clearly presented the position of the impacted teeth. Serial cross-section pantomographs also ensures the shape of the impacted teeth captured on the radiograph. The accuracy of the localization was further verified by the surgical exposure in 10 cases. Conclusion: Orthopantomographic assessing could directly and precisely localized the buccal and lingual positioning of the impacted teeth, without examine the distance between the impacted tooth and its reference tooth, and the distance over which the x-ray tube is moved, which is the principle of PR OR technique.