An Orthopantomogram (OPG), also known as an "orthopantogram" or "panorex", is a panoramic scanning dental X-ray of the upper and lower jaw. It shows a two-dimensional view of a half-circle from ear to ear.

Dental panoramic radiography equipment consists of a horizontal rotating arm which holds an X-ray source and a moving film mechanism (carrying a film) arranged at opposed extremities. The patient's skull sits between the X-ray generator and the film. The X-ray source is collimated toward the film, to give a beam shaped as a vertical blade having a width of 4-7mm when arriving on the film, after crossing the patient's skull. Also the height of that beam covers the mandibles and the maxilla regions.

The arm moves and its movement may be described as a rotation around an instant center which shifts on a dedicated trajectory. The manufacturers propose different solutions for moving the arm, trying to maintain constant distance between the teeth to the film and generator. Also those moving solutions try to project the teeth arch as orthogonally as possible.

The whole orthopantomogram process takes about one minute. The patient's actual radiation exposure time varies between 8 and 22 seconds for the machine’s excursion around the skull.

OPGs are used by Dentists to provide information on:

    * Impacted wisdom teeth
    * Periodontal bone loss
    * Finding the source of dental pain
    * Assessment for the placement of dental implants
    * Orthodontic assessment

The most common use is to determine the status of wisdom teeth.

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 Source: Wikipedia