A diagnostic comparison of panoramic and intraoral radiographs.
OBJECTIVE
This study compared panoramic and intraoral radiographic surveys in the evaluation of specific dental pathoses in Air Force personnel.


METHODS
The radiographs of 30 subjects were read singly and in various combinations: panoramic survey only; periapicals plus bitewings; panoramic survey plus bitewings; and panoramic survey plus periapicals plus bitewings. Three independent, blinded examiners using standardized viewing conditions assessed the radiographs in random order for the presence of caries, periapical pathoses, bone loss, furcation involvement, impacted/unerupted teeth, internal/external root resorption, and retained roots. The consensus radiographic standard of true pathosis was the simultaneous interpretation by the three examiners of all radiographs for each subject.


CONCLUSIONS
The panoramic survey by itself was shown to have the lowest correlation with the consensus radiographic standard when basic military trainees with generalized dental pathoses were evaluated. The combination of panoramic survey plus bitewing radiographs exhibited a diagnostic yield for specific pathoses that was comparable to that of panoramic survey plus bitewings plus periapicals.
Flint
D J
DJ
General Dentistry, Lackland AFB Texas, San Antonio, USA.
Paunovich
E
E
Moore
W S
WS
Wofford
D T
DT
Hermesch
C B
CB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D017823:Furcation Defects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D015588:Observer Variation; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing / Q000592:standards*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012391:Root Resorption / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014097:Tooth, Unerupted / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging