[Panoramic radiograph in edentulous and partially edentulous patients]

A group of two hundred patients from the School of Dentistry, UCV were study using panoramic RX, in order to determined the incidence of impacted roots, impacted teeth, radiographic feature (radiolucent and radiopaque) and foreign body. From the 200 patient 118 (59%) were edentulous and 82 (415) partially edentulous, from of clinically point of view; 40 (20%) were male and 160 (80%) female. From the total sample only 77 (38.5%) showed radiographic feature meanwhile 123 (61.5%) had not any present. Only the patients with radiographic feature were considered and the result according the age were the following: 18 patients 20-40 years old (23.4%); 41 patients 41-60 years old (53.2%) and 18 patients 61-80 years old (23.4%). The higher numbers of feature were observed in the range of age 41-60 years old. In relation to the form there was a predominance of diffuse form (53.3%). However, the size was greater of 5 mm. (43.3%). On the other hand, the higher numbers of feature were observed in the area 456 in the mandible (50%). This findings are in agreement with the result found by Jones & et al (1985) (J. Prosthet Dent 53:535-539). This values are in the same range 20-60% founded in other countries. No significant difference were founded between the partially or totally edentulous patients. This work suggest the important of the panoramic RX as a diagnostic aid before a prosthetic treatment.