The Effect of Panoramic Radiography on the Diagnosis of Lesions in Dentistry and Its Effect on Cumulative Dose

Introduction: One of the most commonly used radiography methods for the diagnosis of oral and dental diseases is the panoramic radiography technique. This technique is widely used due to ease of implementation, extensive coverage, time and cost savings. Dental radiography, as a routine and appropriate test, accounts for about 33% of the total radiographic examination. However, information derived from radiography plays a major role in detecting lesions in dentistry, but it puts the patient at risk from the effects of ionizing radiation. This study was designed and implemented with the aim of investigating the lesions found in panoramic radiographies in patients referred to the Kermanshah Imaging Centers. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective-descriptive cross-sectional study, 378 panoramic images were collected from Kermanshah Imaging Centers and assessed by the dentist. Data collection was done by completing a two-part checklist, consisting of 46 questions including demographic information, questions about the relative frequency of lesions found in panoramic images, including the existence, characteristics, and pathology types of lesion. Results: According to the findings of this study, 56.6% of patients had a lesion. The most commonly found lesion was tooth decay (194 cases), which 92.4% of total radiographies with lesion and 51.3% of the total radiographs. The least damage was also in the case of tumoral jaw lesions (4 cases), which contained 1.9% of radiography with lesion and 1.1% of total radiographs. The highest rates of decay lesions, periodontal lesions, dwindle of bone crest and localized inflammatory lesions of the jaw lesions unilaterally and with a certain margin. Conclusion: Altogether, the findings of this study showed that nearly half of the panoramic images did not show any lesion. This suggests that dentists should be more concerned about the unnecessary use of panoramic images about the overall assessment of the condition of the teeth and the evaluation of dental caries.