X-ray of the jaw of an adult: when is such a study necessary, what can it show?

According to statistics, every third person suffers from pathologies of bones and joints. One of the first places is occupied by diseases of the jaw joints. The problem is that in the early stages of the development of the disease, symptoms may be absent or mildly expressed, and increased tissue wear is characteristic. However, therapy must be started as early as possible, which will speed up recovery and also prevent complications.

X-rays of the jaw allow timely detection of many diseases of the temporomandibular joint. Therefore, when the first symptoms of such ailments appear, you must contact a medical center for an x-ray.

When is a jaw x-ray taken?

Tell the patient exactly whether he needs and can have x-rays of his jaws

, should his attending physician. General indications for such a diagnostic procedure are:

Suspicion of jaw development abnormalities (in childhood or adulthood). These may be congenital clefts of the hard/soft palate, impaired growth and proper development, or malocclusion.
Suspicion of infectious-inflammatory and specific pathologies. These include osteomyelitis, periostitis, syphilis, actinomycosis, tuberculosis or necrosis of the jaw bone.
To identify various acquired defects resulting from injury or removal of oncological formations.
Suspicion of the presence of a false joint.
Suspicion of a benign or malignant neoplasm.

What can you see in the photographs?

The following can be seen on x-rays of the upper and lower jaws:

defects - cracks, fractures, presence or absence of bone fragments;
pathological changes in bone tissue - areas of tissue thinning, compaction, thickening or thinning of the cortical plate;
areas of necrosis - sequestra;
sclerotic process;
various periosteal layers, osteophytes (bone growths);
tumor-like neoplasms.

Is it dangerous to take pictures?

According to SanPiN1, when performing X-ray procedures for preventive purposes, radiation exposure should not exceed 1000 microsieverts (µSv) per year. We are talking specifically about prevention, since for medicinal purposes the indicator can be much higher.

In terms of the number of shots it looks like this:

500 targeted shots (1-3 µSv),
80 OPTG (13-17 µSv),
20 digital CT scans (50-60 µSv).

For comparison, here is a table that shows the radiation doses that a person receives during diagnostic procedures in dentistry, in other areas of medicine and in life in general. The last table shows parameters that are truly dangerous to the body and can be fatal.

In dentistry	In other areas of medicine	In life	Dangerous indicators
1-3 μSv – one targeted shot	30-60 µSv – one digital fluorography, 150-250 µSv – old type film FOG	5 µSv – 3 hours in front of a computer or TV	750 thousand µSv – minor changes in blood composition
13-17 μSv – one panoramic image (OPTG)	500-700 µSv – one mammography procedure	20-30 µSv – one 2-3 hour flight	1 million µSv – mild radiation sickness
50-60 μSv – one CT procedure in dentistry	2000 μSv – one head CT procedure	2000-3000 μSv – natural dose of radiation per person per year (food, solar radiation, air)	7 million µSv – lethal dose of radiation

As can be seen from the table, irradiation can cause harm (minor and short-lived) only when a dosage of 750 thousand µ3V is reached, while only one thousand µ3V is allowed for diagnosis. Therefore, 20 CT images or 80 panoramic images will not cause any harm to the body.

How is the procedure performed?

X-ray of the jaw of an adult or child is a simple procedure. It can be done in different projections in order to better examine the structure of the bone tissue and make an accurate diagnosis.

X-ray of the lower jaw

To obtain general information about the condition of the lower jaw, an X-ray is taken in a direct projection. It allows for primary diagnosis of inflammatory, oncological and traumatic diseases. The patient is positioned as follows: lying on his stomach, face down, resting the tip of his nose and forehead on the cassette. The X-ray machine sensor is installed at the occipital protuberance.

A lateral view of the lower jaw is taken to assess the condition of the body, ramus and teeth of the desired side. The patient lies on his side, with his cheek on the cassette located at a slight angle.

To diagnose diseases of the lower jaw, images are also taken in the axial projection. The patient takes a position lying on his stomach, stretching his head forward with his chin as much as possible. At the same time, it is pressed against the cassette by the front surface of the neck and lower jaw.

X-ray of the upper jaw

To assess the condition of the bone tissue of the upper jaw and the chin area of the lower jaw, a nasomental placement is performed. To do this, the patient lies on his stomach, face down, resting the tip of his nose and chin on the cassette. The sensor is installed perpendicular to the cassette, 2 pictures are taken - with the mouth open and closed.

Diagnosis of pathologies using x-rays of the jaw

If you have symptoms indicating dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, you must contact a diagnostic center for research. You can make an appointment for an x-ray in our clinic, where modern equipment is used to ensure the safety of the procedure for patients.

Pathologies can be diagnosed using x-rays:

traumatic arthritis;
neuralgia;
purulent arthritis;
rheumatoid arthritis;
osteoarthritis;
osteomyelitis;
temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome;
injuries of bone and joint tissues.

The technique provides high information content, which allows the doctor to make a correct diagnosis in a timely manner, prevent further development of pathologies and the occurrence of complications. In addition to X-rays, the doctor may prescribe a computed tomography scan, which will allow you to most accurately diagnose the disease and identify the causes of disorders in the temporomandibular joint.

Panoramic shot of the jaw

A panoramic X-ray, or orthopantomogram, displays the entire upper and lower jaw in a direct projection. In such a picture you can see almost all the anatomical features of the patient’s dental system, all kinds of neoplasms, defects, fractures of tooth roots, and so on. An orthopantomogram allows you to identify the following pathologies:

damage to tooth roots by caries;
hidden carious cavities;
cysts, granulomas, tumors;
pathological changes in the roots and peri-root space.

Situations when taking photographs is strictly prohibited

Such situations practically never occur. On an individual basis, X-rays are considered in cases where the patient receives radiation in other areas of life: for example, in hazardous work, while undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. But again, when X-raying the state of the jaw system, the radiation is so small that it will not affect the overall picture.

Thus, you should not be afraid to take photographs - in single quantities they are quite acceptable and will not affect your health at all.
It is important to understand that such diagnostic procedures allow for better treatment, especially with dental implantation, the results of which will last not a couple of years, but for many years of life. 1 Sanitary rules and regulations (SanPiN) 2.6. 2.6.1.1192-03 for the design and operation of X-ray rooms, devices and the conduct of X-ray examinations.

Decoding the results

An x-ray of an adult's jaw is usually interpreted by a radiologist.

Other specialists may also be involved in this work: dentist, facial surgeon, otolaryngologist. Specific pathologies of the upper and lower jaws have certain radiological features:

Chronic osteomyelitis. Depending on the type of disease, the images may show foci of resorption of various shapes with a shadow of necrotic masses inside. In more severe cases, communication of the sequestra with the oral cavity is visualized.
Acute osteomyelitis. When examining the image, you can see areas of bone tissue resorption that do not have clear boundaries.
Fractures or cracks in the jaw bones. This pathology reveals itself by the fact that thin, elongated shadows are quite clearly visible in the photographs. In such cases, it is important not only to identify the fracture, but also to see the bone fragments, if any, and to understand how much they are displaced.
Chronic periostitis. In the image with such a pathology, periosteal thickenings will be visible. If the disease has become severe, areas of ossification of the periosteum and new bone tissue along the edge of the jaw are visualized.

Is it possible to carry out diagnostics during pregnancy?

According to SanPiN, X-ray examinations are allowed in the second half of pregnancy using protective equipment, provided that the radiation dose does not exceed the same 1000 μSv. However, it is recommended to refrain from taking x-rays in the first and last 12 weeks, i.e. in the first and last trimesters.

Do not be afraid of undergoing diagnostic procedures during pregnancy. Even ordinary caries is an infection that, if not properly treated, can spread throughout the body and lead to infection of the fetus. Therefore, it is better to receive a small and completely safe dose of radiation than to carry out complex dental treatment blindly, not knowing how deep the inflammatory process is.

After the baby is born, i.e. During breastfeeding, dental x-rays can be taken, even more than once (within reasonable limits). Radiation doses are minimal, so radiation does not accumulate in breast milk, and there will be absolutely no harm to the baby. There is also no need to pump or skip feedings.

How are dental x-rays done?

The procedure does not require preparation, it is done quickly and painlessly. All manipulations take place in the X-ray room. The shooting process will vary slightly for different types of x-rays.

Bitewing x-rays and spotting x-rays are done in a similar way. A matrix or x-ray film wrapped in light-proof paper is applied to the problem tooth. A radiation tube is brought to the tooth and an image is taken. Information is transferred from the matrix to the computer. The photo can be printed or saved digitally. If film was used for x-rays, it is first developed in a dark room. This takes a little longer.

For panoramic and 3D images, special devices are used - orthopantomograph and tomograph. The procedure is done standing or sitting, it depends on the design of the device. You will have to remove metal jewelry, dentures, and piercings before the x-ray. You will be wearing a lead apron to protect you from x-rays.

Next, the patient's head is fixed in the desired position, and then filming begins. It lasts 20-30 seconds. The emitter and receiver will move around you, they will make noise. Don't pay attention to this, your task is to sit still. Any movement can affect the accuracy of the photo. At the end of the procedure, the film is developed, and the digital data is processed by a computer.