Panoramic x-ray
A panoramic x-ray is an x-ray that shows all the teeth and both jaws at once, as the American Association of Orthodontists defines it in the Panoramic Radiograph entry of its glossary.
Panoramic radiograph: the AAO and ADA definitions
Panoramic radiograph is the formal name for the panoramic x-ray, and the Radiograph entry in the Glossary of Orthodontic Terms of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) says why orthodontists take one: “Orthodontists take panoramic radiographs to see a complete horizontal image of a patient’s upper and lower teeth.”
The American Dental Association (ADA) describes the same image in the technical language of its CDT glossary: “An extraoral projection whereby the entire mandible, maxilla, teeth and other nearby structures are portrayed on a single image, as if the jaws were flattened out.” The mandible and maxilla are the lower and upper jaws, and extraoral means outside the mouth.
What an orthodontist looks for on a panoramic x-ray
Checking below the surface is the panoramic x-ray’s job in the AAO’s account of a child’s first visit: “In addition to an intraoral exam, orthodontists use panoramic x-rays to check below the surface to look for extra teeth, missing teeth, impacted teeth or teeth coming into the wrong positions.”
In the AAO’s sentence the x-ray comes in addition to the exam, not in place of it. The AAO wrote that sentence about a child’s evaluation; which records an adult needs is for the orthodontist to decide.
Panoramic x-rays and the first consultation
Whether a panoramic x-ray is taken at a first visit is the orthodontist’s call, and the AAO allows for either answer at a child’s first exam. Its FAQ, answering whether the orthodontist will take x-rays, says a panoramic x-ray “may be taken at a first exam, or may be postponed until closer to the time that its recommended treatment begins.”
In the AAO’s glossary, diagnostic records may include a panoramic x-ray, along with a health history, photographs and a scan or models of the teeth. What else happens at a first visit, and what to bring, is on the page about a first orthodontic consultation, and the rest of this glossary defines the other words you may hear there.
Sources
- American Association of Orthodontists, Orthodontic Glossary: Braces & Dental Terms Defined
- American Dental Association, Glossary of Dental Terms
- American Association of Orthodontists, When Should a Child See an Orthodontist? The Age 7 Visit
- American Association of Orthodontists, Orthodontic FAQs: Your Questions Answered (listing page 21, read November 6, 2026)
Panoramic x-rays and your records: raise them when you book a consultation
Put any questions about x-rays or records into a consultation request from this page.
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