Walker, CameronThomson, DonaldMcKenna, Gerald2011-03-152011-03-152009-12Case study: limitations of panoramic radiography in the anterior mandible. 2009, 36 (10):620-3 Dent Update0305-500020166378http://hdl.handle.net/10147/124616Dental Panoramic Tomography (DPT) is a widely used and valuable examination in dentistry. One area prone to artefacts and therefore misinterpretation is the anterior region of the mandible. This case study discusses a periapical radiolucency related to lower anterior teeth that is discovered to be a radiographic artefact. Possible causes of the artefact include a pronounced depression in the mental region of the mandible or superimposition of intervertebral spaces. Additional limitations of the DPT image include superimposition of radio-opaque structures, reduced image detail compared to intra-oral views and uneven magnification. These problems often make the DPT inappropriate for imaging the anterior mandible. Clinical Relevance: Panoramic radiography is often unsuitable for radiographic examination of the anterior mandible.enAlveolar Bone LossArtifactsChronic PeriodontitisDiagnosis, DifferentialHumansIncisorMaleMandibleMiddle AgedPeriapical DiseasesRadiography, BitewingRadiography, PanoramicRoot ResorptionTomography, X-RayArticleDental update