Patient guide
A clearer picture.
Care you understand.
Bitewings, panoramic X-rays and 3D scans explained, with real examples from our treatment planning.
A tooth can look healthy on the surface while a problem develops between the teeth, around the roots or beneath the gums. Dental X-rays help us see these hidden areas and build a more complete picture of your oral health.
Quick answer: Different dental X-rays answer different questions. A small image can help investigate one tooth, a panoramic image provides an overview, and a CBCT scan adds three-dimensional information when needed for diagnosis or treatment planning.
What are dental X-rays?
Dental X-rays, also called radiographs, use a small amount of ionising radiation to create images of teeth and supporting structures. They help us investigate decay, bone loss, root anatomy and changes that may not be visible during a clinical examination.
X-rays complement an examination; they do not show every problem. We interpret them alongside your symptoms, dental history and other clinical tests.
The different types of dental X-rays
Bitewings: seeing between the teeth
Bitewings show the crowns of upper and lower back teeth together, along with nearby bone levels. You gently bite on a small holder while the image is taken. They are particularly useful for looking for decay between teeth and assessing the supporting bone.
This is a simulated educational illustration, not a patient radiograph or a diagnostic example.
Periapical X-rays: a closer look at one tooth
A periapical image, often called a PA, shows the whole tooth from the crown to the root tips and surrounding bone. It may be recommended for a painful tooth, before an extraction, or before, during and after root canal treatment.
Panoramic X-rays: the bigger picture
A panoramic X-ray, or OPG, provides a broad two-dimensional view of the teeth and jaws. It can help assess wisdom teeth, developing teeth and larger areas of the jaw. The machine moves around your head while you remain still.
An OPG gives a useful overview, but it does not replace bitewings for detecting early decay between teeth or detailed views of an individual tooth.
This is a simulated educational illustration, not a patient radiograph or a diagnostic example.
CBCT: looking in three dimensions
Cone-beam computed tomography, or CBCT, produces a three-dimensional dataset that can be viewed as individual slices or reconstructed into a 3D model. This helps us assess depth, width and anatomical relationships that may be difficult to understand from a flat image.
CBCT can assist with implant planning, selected wisdom teeth, complex root canal problems and selected orthodontic cases. It generally involves more radiation than conventional dental X-rays; the dose depends on the scan area, equipment and settings. It is recommended when the additional information is expected to benefit your care.
From 2D images to AI-assisted 3D planning
Dental imaging has developed from film-based images to digital radiography, CBCT and computer-assisted modelling. Each remains a tool for a particular purpose: a newer or more complex scan is not automatically the right choice for every patient.
Segmentation separates structures within a CBCT dataset, such as individual teeth and jawbone, so they can be viewed separately or together. AI can assist with this process. A nerve canal can also be traced and displayed within the planning model. Segmentation uses the existing scan and does not itself require another X-ray.
The coloured model helps us visualise anatomy and explain treatment. It does not replace assessment of the original CBCT slices. Automated outlines and canal traces need clinical checking and may require adjustment.
Wisdom tooth planning: what 3D imaging can add to an OPG
Lower wisdom tooth planning includes assessing the roots and their relationship to the canal carrying the inferior alveolar nerve, which supplies sensation to the lower lip and chin. The following images illustrate how different views can support that assessment.
This information can help inform the surgical approach and discussion of treatment options and risks. The illustrations demonstrate planning; they do not establish a treatment outcome or guarantee avoidance of nerve injury. Not every wisdom tooth requires a CBCT scan.
Read our wisdom tooth patient guide →
AI-assisted orthodontic planning: looking beyond the tooth surfaces
Orthodontic treatment moves the roots as well as the visible crowns. A surface model helps show how the teeth fit together. In selected cases, adding CBCT-based segmentation allows us to consider the roots and available supporting bone when planning movement.
SAME PATIENT
Surface level analysis
Advanced level – better data equals better planning with a more in depth view
These are complementary views, not treatment before-and-after images. Our aim is to plan movements that keep roots appropriately positioned within the supporting bone, sometimes called the bone envelope.
The additional information helps us assess proposed movements beyond the appearance of the final smile. It does not predict the biological response perfectly; very thin bone may also be difficult to resolve, so the models are interpreted alongside the original scan and clinical findings.
Other uses in our practice
Implant planning: We use 3D assessment to consider available bone, nearby anatomy and the planned implant position and direction. This is particularly helpful in complex cases, including pterygoid implants in the region behind the upper jaw.
Selected endodontic planning: CBCT and segmentation can help us explore complex root anatomy and its relationship to surrounding structures when conventional images do not provide sufficient information.
Explore our dental technology and 3D imaging →
Your questions answered
Why have an X-ray if nothing hurts?
Some dental problems develop before symptoms appear. Your examination findings, previous images and risk of disease help determine whether imaging would add useful information.
How often do I need dental X-rays?
There is no single timetable for everyone, and X-rays are not automatically needed at every check-up. The timing depends on your dental health, symptoms, previous findings and risk of disease. Tell us if another practice has recently taken images so we can assess whether they are suitable.
Are dental X-rays safe?
Conventional dental X-rays use low radiation doses. The risk from a clinically justified examination is very small, but unnecessary exposure should still be avoided. We select the appropriate image and scan area for the question being investigated. Lead aprons are not routinely required for modern dental imaging; the team follows the requirements appropriate to the examination.
What if I am pregnant?
Tell your dental team if you are pregnant or may be pregnant. Necessary dental X-rays can be taken during pregnancy when clinically justified. Pregnancy alone is not a reason to leave a painful or potentially infected tooth unassessed.
Can children have dental X-rays?
Yes, when clinically indicated. The decision is based on the child’s individual needs, with exposure settings and the imaging area appropriate to their size and the examination.
Time to understand your care
Knowing why an image is recommended and what it shows can make your next steps clearer. We welcome your questions and can talk you through the findings and treatment options.
Understanding your own images
At Burleigh Dentistry & Implants, we want you to understand why an image is recommended and how it informs your care. Ask us to show you what we are looking at and explain what it means for your treatment options.
Book an assessment or call 07 5593 6461.
Further reading
Australian Dental Association: Dental X-rays
ARPANSA: Dental imaging
FDA: Dental cone-beam computed tomography