The frequency of Accidental Dental Abnormalities and pathologic finding in panoramic radiography of orthodontic patients

Background and Aim:  Panoramic radiography is routinely used in addition to clinical examination for diagnosis and treatment plan in orthodontics. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and location of random dental and pathological findings in panoramic images before orthodontic treatment. Related  to attending of private orthodontic clinic during 2013-2018. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, primary panoramic images of 510 orthodontic patients who referred to a private orthodontic office in Sari during 2013-2018 were used.  Panoramic images were examined independently by two observers after stabilization in light conditions and standard magnification on a monochromatic screen.    Data were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: Panoramic images of 510 patients (274 images of female patients and 236 images of male patients) with a mean age of 32.3 years were used in this study. The frequency of tooth and root abnormalities was 26.65%, with the highest finding related to impacted teeth (19.6%) and the lowest related to root dilaceration (0.39%).The frequency of pathological lesions was determined to be 9.42%, the most common of which was associated with apical pulp lesion (4.71%) and the rarest bone sclerosis (0.39%). There was no significant difference between the two sexes and between the two jaws in terms of the frequency of pathological lesions and root dental abnormalities except impacted teeth. The frequency of impacted teeth in female (P value = 0.002) and in maxilla (0.007) P value =) was significantly higher. Conclusion: Clinicians should always be aware of the potential for pathological findings and dental abnormalities in patients' primary panoramic images, which is a valuable radiograph to detect abnormalities.