OPG stands for Orthopantomography. It is a special method for obtaining radiographs of the teeth-bearing jaws, both upper and lower.
An OPG machine is specially constructed so that it rotates around the jaw-bones, thus giving us an extremely good idea about the structure of the jaw bones. Yes, x-rays are used, but the method is totally different.
OPG x-rays are usually asked for by dentists, whether they be general dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons or prosthodontists/implantologists. Because OPGs give a bird-eye view of the teeth and the adjacent bones, they are useful in a wide-variety of conditions including infections, tumors, congenital abnormalities, pre-implant evaluation and trauma.
