At my annual check-up last week, my new dentist (I moved to a new city)
said I needed a pan x-ray as part of the diagnostic routine. He is a GP,
if that means anything.  

I feel like I got the bait and switch because the initial exam, which
took a full hour of his time and included full perio-charting, only cost
45 dollars.  Then he said I needed the pan x-ray, for which he charged
$75. And he did the bite wings (one on each side of my mouth)for another
$25.

Is this like going to a restaurant that advertises a dinner special for
$4.99 but then charges $8.99 for the utensils?

--
kelly d. douglass, dds, ms

" jesus is returning..........and he's bring an attorney !"

I am very interested in this subject.  I hope someone will answer
realisticly.
What -is- the purpose of the Pano.? I mean other than as a general
screening tool. kw

sci.med.dentistry
[1] bait and switch?

I am very interested in this subject.  I hope someone will answer
realisticly.
What -is- the purpose of the Pano.? I mean other than as a general
screening tool. kw

********************************************************

I assume this can't be a serious question - I would hate to consider the
alternative

dh

I don't know Sloan.  What did they serve you at the new dentist's office?

dh

IMHO panos are useful for seeing the position of 3rd molars, but I feel
that FMXRs give more information in general.

Ren

I don't really remember the original note and it's too hard to retrieve
it but I was wondering why a fmx wouldn't be taken instead of a pano.
that's all. kw

I couldn't tell you. Maybe because it's faster to take a pano and the fee
is almost the same? We sometimes take them on {*filter*}s to see their 3rd
molars, but other than that, I really can't see the advantage over a FMXR.

Ren

Jeff L. Rodgers, DMD

I had just such a case a few years ago.  I did not have a pan. and it
was after a patient noticed a bulging of his mandible that I
discovered bi-lateral radiolucencies below his teeth where a PA film
did not reach.  Luckily it was not malignant and the patient is doing
fine.  If I would have had a pan. it would have shown up much sooner.

SWF DDS

--
kelly d. douglass, dds, ms

" jesus is returning..........and he's bring an attorney !"

Without a chief complaint by the patient, there is no reason for a pano.  
They are not diagnostic of much if anything except those areas that an
fmx does not reach.  

You must be a periodontist