INTRODUCTION:
Orthopantomogram (OPG) is a dental radiograph that captures the maxillofacial region in a single image for quick assessment of the dental arches and their surrounding structures. It can be used for treatment planning and analysis of jaw-related pathologies. Prior studies have demonstrated geographical variations in radiographic anomalies and pathologies, our purpose was to establish baseline statistics for the Pakistani population, so the Pakistani dentists are able to distinguish between anomalies and pathologies and provide appropriate care when needed.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional study design was used to analyze de-identified 2411 OPGs taken for routine dental care at the dental clinics of Riphah International University. These were broadly classified according to site. Data was documented on SPSS version 22 and presented as frequencies.
RESULTS:
From a total of 2,411 OPGs, 2326 met the inclusion criteria. The mean age of the patients was 29.06±17.99 years. Our findings included pneumatization of the maxillary sinus in 9.8%, pathological findings in the sinus in 3.9%, deflected nasal septum in 7.5%, alveolar bone loss in 32.7%, elongated styloid process in 12.1%, pathological finding associated with maxillary bone in 1.4% and mandibular bone in 2.1%.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our results were somewhat unique when compared with studies from other geographical locations. We established baseline statistics about the common anomalies and abnormalities noted in dental radiographs for the Pakistani population.
Key words: orthopantomograph; panoramic film; anomalies; radiologic defects
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