[Orthodontic diagnosis and panoramic radiology of the dentition in childhood]

Every dentist has to know the dentitional development well enough to be able to assess regularly this complicated process with its many normal variations and (topical) aberrations. If they become clinical problems, they require diagnosis, long-term supervision and interceptive and/or corrective treatment. In this article the advantages and disadvantages of panoramic radiology for the diagnosis of the dentitional development are described. A systematic method of interpretation of the panoramic X-rays is recommended.