How to Prepare for an OPG X-Ray: What to Remove & What to Expect

Preparing for an OPG X-ray (orthopantomogram) is straightforward because the scan requires almost no special preparation. There is no fasting, no blood work, no injections, and no recovery time. The single most important step is removing all metal objects from the head and neck area before the machine rotates around your jaw. This guide covers exactly what to remove, what to wear, dietary guidelines, special considerations for pregnant women and children, and a complete step-by-step walkthrough of the appointment itself - so you arrive confident and ready.

Every detail in this guide has been reviewed by a consultant radiologist at Doctors Clinic Diagnostic Center (DCDC) in Dubai Healthcare City to ensure clinical accuracy. Whether this is your first OPG or you are returning for a follow-up, the information below will tell you everything you need to know about OPG dental X-ray preparation.

Do You Need to Prepare for an OPG X-Ray?

The short answer is: barely. An OPG X-ray is one of the least demanding imaging studies in terms of patient preparation. Unlike an MRI, CT scan with contrast, or an ultrasound of the abdomen, an OPG does not require fasting, medication changes, bowel preparation, or any form of sedation. You do not need to arrange for someone to drive you home, and you can return to work, school, or any normal activity immediately after the scan.

"The most common question patients ask us is whether they need to prepare anything before coming in for an OPG," says Dr. Osama Elzamzami, Head of Radiology at DCDC. "The answer is refreshingly simple: remove your metal, stand still for 15 seconds, and the scan is done. There is no fasting, no contrast dye, and no recovery period."

That said, there are a few practical steps that will make your appointment faster and smoother. The most critical step is removing all metallic objects from the head and neck region before the scan begins. Metal interferes with the X-ray beam and creates bright white artifacts on the image that can obscure teeth, bone, and soft tissue structures - potentially requiring you to repeat the scan.

The following sections break down each preparation step in detail so there are no surprises on the day of your appointment.

What to Remove Before Your OPG

Metal objects in the path of the X-ray beam create dense white artifacts on the panoramic image, which can obscure critical diagnostic information. Before the radiographer positions you in the OPG machine, you will be asked to remove every metallic and dense object from the head, neck, and upper chest area. This is the single most important preparation step for a clean, diagnostic-quality OPG image.

The table below lists the most common items you need to remove and explains why each one matters:

Fixed metal in the mouth is not a problem. Permanent dental restorations such as fillings, crowns, bridges, braces, and implants do not need to be removed. These are expected findings on an OPG, and the radiologist accounts for their presence during image interpretation. Only removable items need to come off.

Practical tip: If you know you have an OPG appointment, consider leaving jewelry at home and wearing a simple top without a high metal zipper or collar clasp. This saves time at the clinic and eliminates the worry of misplacing valuables. Most radiology departments provide a small tray or locker for personal items, but keeping it simple from the start is always easiest.

Can You Eat and Drink Before an OPG?

Yes. You can eat and drink completely normally before an OPG X-ray. There is no fasting requirement whatsoever. Unlike abdominal ultrasound (which requires an empty stomach) or certain blood tests (which require overnight fasting), the OPG images only the jaw and teeth area, and the presence of food or liquid in your stomach has absolutely no effect on image quality.

You can have your morning coffee, eat a full meal, drink water, chew gum, or consume anything you like right up until the moment the scan begins. There are no dietary restrictions before or after the procedure.

"I always reassure patients that they do not need to fast or change their eating habits before an OPG," says Dr. Osama Elzamzami, Head of Radiology at DCDC. "The only thing in your mouth during the scan is a small plastic bite block, and it stays in place for less than 20 seconds. What you ate for breakfast is completely irrelevant to the image."

One practical consideration: If you have just eaten sticky or bulky food, you may want to rinse your mouth with water before the scan. Visible food debris stuck between teeth is not a clinical concern, but a clean mouth ensures the radiographer can position the bite block comfortably and that no food particles are mistaken for pathology on the image. This is purely optional and does not affect the diagnostic quality of the scan.

Medications: Take all your regular medications as prescribed. No medication needs to be stopped or adjusted before an OPG X-ray. If you take medication that causes dry mouth, bring a bottle of water to sip before positioning - this will make the bite block more comfortable.

OPG Preparation for Pregnant Women

Pregnancy does not change the physical preparation for an OPG - you still simply remove metal and stand in the machine - but it does change the clinical decision-making around whether and when to perform the scan. The key principle is that elective dental imaging is routinely postponed until after delivery, while urgent or emergency imaging can be performed safely at any stage of pregnancy when the clinical benefit outweighs the minimal risk.

The radiation dose from a single OPG X-ray is approximately 10 to 20 microsieverts (μSv), which is directed at the jaw and is far from the uterus. This dose is roughly equivalent to one to two days of natural background radiation that everyone receives from the environment. Scientific evidence has never demonstrated any measurable risk to a fetus from dental X-rays at this dose level.

However, the standard of care follows the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable), which means avoiding any unnecessary radiation exposure during pregnancy as a precautionary measure. In practice, this means:

• Routine or screening OPGs (such as new patient evaluations or orthodontic records) are postponed until after delivery
• Urgent OPGs (such as suspected jaw fractures, severe dental infections, or acute pain requiring diagnosis) are performed with a lead apron placed over the abdomen and thyroid to minimize scattered radiation
• The second trimester (weeks 13-27) is generally considered the safest period for necessary dental imaging if it cannot wait until after delivery
• First trimester imaging is avoided for elective procedures because this is the period of organ development, although the actual radiation risk from an OPG remains negligible

What you must do: Inform the radiographer and your dentist that you are pregnant - or that you suspect you may be pregnant - before the scan. This is the single most important preparation step for pregnant patients. The clinical team will then determine whether the OPG is clinically justified or can be safely deferred.

Preparing Children for an OPG X-Ray

Children aged 5 and older can usually have an OPG X-ray taken successfully, although the experience requires a slightly different preparation approach compared to adults. The scan itself is identical - painless, fast, and requiring no needles or mouth sensors - but younger children may feel anxious about standing in an unfamiliar machine with a rotating arm. A few minutes of preparation at home can make the difference between a smooth scan and a stressful retake.

Here is how to prepare your child for a comfortable OPG experience:

• Explain the scan in simple terms: Tell your child that a special camera is going to take a picture of their teeth. The camera goes around their head slowly, but it does not touch them and it does not hurt. Comparing it to a big camera taking a selfie of their teeth often works well with younger children.
• Practice standing still: The most common reason a child's OPG needs to be repeated is movement during the 15-to-20-second scan. Practice at home by asking your child to stand against a wall, rest their chin on a book, and freeze like a statue for 20 seconds. Turn it into a game.
• Remove metal beforehand: Take off any earrings, necklaces, hair clips, or hairbands with metal before you arrive at the clinic. Doing this at home avoids a potential conflict in the radiology room.
• Explain the bite block: Your child will need to gently bite down on a small plastic piece. Let them know it feels like biting on a thick straw and it only stays in for a few seconds.
• Stay calm yourself: Children mirror their parents' anxiety. If you treat the appointment as routine and uneventful, your child is far more likely to cooperate. At DCDC, parents are welcome to stand in the room during the scan (behind a protective screen) so the child can see them.
• Bring a comfort item: A favorite small toy or stuffed animal can wait on a chair nearby and serve as a "reward" immediately after the scan is done. This gives the child something positive to focus on.

Radiation safety for children: Modern digital OPG machines include automatic pediatric dose-reduction protocols that lower the radiation output based on the child's size. At DCDC, the radiographer selects the child setting before the scan, ensuring the lowest possible dose while maintaining diagnostic image quality. A pediatric OPG delivers approximately 5 to 14 μSv, which is less than the radiation a child receives from one to two days of natural background exposure.

A mother recently brought her 6-year-old son to DCDC for his first OPG, referred by his orthodontist to assess developing teeth. She had practiced the "statue game" at home, and on the day of the scan, the boy stood perfectly still, bit down on the block, and was done in 15 seconds. He told his mother afterward that it was "way easier than the dentist" because nothing went inside his mouth. His OPG revealed two congenitally missing premolars, information that fundamentally changed the orthodontic treatment plan.

What to Tell Your Dentist Before the Scan

While OPG preparation is minimal from a physical standpoint, there are several pieces of information you should share with the radiographer or your referring dentist before the scan. Providing this information ensures the imaging is performed safely, the radiologist knows what to look for, and the report addresses your specific clinical question.

Tell the clinical team the following before your OPG:

• Pregnancy or possible pregnancy: Always disclose this, even if you are only a few weeks along or simply suspect you might be pregnant. The team will decide whether to proceed, postpone, or apply additional shielding.
• The reason for the scan: If your dentist referred you, bring the referral letter or explain the clinical question (e.g., "my dentist wants to check my wisdom teeth before extraction" or "I need an orthodontic OPG for braces planning"). This helps the radiologist focus the report on what matters most.
• Previous jaw surgery or trauma: If you have had jaw surgery, fracture repair, or any metallic hardware implanted in the face or jaw (plates, screws, wires), let the radiographer know. These will appear on the OPG and the radiologist needs to distinguish surgical hardware from pathology.
• Dental implants and extensive restorations: While these are visible on the image, informing the team beforehand helps the radiologist correlate findings with your dental history and avoid misinterpretation.
• Difficulty standing still: If you have a movement disorder, chronic pain, vertigo, or any condition that makes standing still for 20 seconds difficult, inform the radiographer. The machine speed and patient support can sometimes be adjusted, or an alternative imaging method may be recommended.
• Previous OPG or dental imaging: If you have had a recent OPG elsewhere, bring a copy on CD, USB, or via a shared link. This allows the radiologist to compare the new image with the old one and detect subtle changes over time, and it may also prevent an unnecessary duplicate scan.

"The more context we have, the better the report," says Dr. Osama Elzamzami, Head of Radiology at DCDC. "When a patient tells us they are coming in for implant planning, we pay special attention to bone height, nerve canal position, and sinus proximity. When the referral says wisdom teeth, we focus on impaction angle and root proximity to the nerve. Context shapes the clinical value of the scan."

Your OPG Appointment: Step by Step

Knowing exactly what happens during your OPG appointment eliminates uncertainty and helps you feel relaxed from the moment you walk through the door. Below is a complete step-by-step walkthrough of the experience at DCDC Dubai Healthcare City, from arrival to receiving your results.

• Step 1 - Arrive and register: Check in at the reception desk with your Emirates ID or passport and your referral letter (if you have one). Self-pay patients can walk in without a referral. Registration takes approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
• Step 2 - Wait to be called: Wait times at DCDC are typically short, especially for a quick imaging study like an OPG. During busy periods, the wait is rarely more than 10 to 15 minutes.
• Step 3 - Enter the radiology room: The radiographer calls your name and escorts you to the OPG machine room. The machine is a tall, upright unit with a chin rest and two arm-like structures (the X-ray tube and the detector) that rotate around your head.
• Step 4 - Remove metal objects: The radiographer asks you to remove all metallic items from the head, neck, and upper body - earrings, necklaces, piercings, glasses, hearing aids, removable dentures, and any hair accessories containing metal. A small tray is provided for your belongings.
• Step 5 - Put on the lead apron: A lead thyroid collar and/or lead apron is draped over your shoulders and chest to shield the thyroid gland and body from any scattered radiation.
• Step 6 - Position in the machine: You step up to the machine and rest your chin on the chin support. The radiographer adjusts the machine height to match your anatomy and aligns your head using light-beam positioning guides. Lateral head supports gently stabilize your temples.
• Step 7 - Bite down on the positioning block: A sterile single-use plastic bite block is placed between your front teeth. You bite down gently to separate the upper and lower jaws slightly and lock your jaw into the correct alignment for the scan.
• Step 8 - Hold still: The radiographer steps behind a protective screen and activates the machine. The X-ray tube and detector begin rotating around your head in a smooth semicircular arc from one side to the other. This takes 15 to 20 seconds. You must remain completely still and avoid swallowing during this time. Breathing normally through your nose is fine.
• Step 9 - Scan complete: The machine stops and you step away. The entire in-room time from positioning to completion is typically under 5 minutes. You remove the lead apron, collect your belongings from the tray, and you are done.
• Step 10 - Results and reporting: The digital OPG image appears on the radiologist's workstation within seconds. At DCDC, a consultant radiologist reviews and reports every OPG on the same day. The written report is sent directly to your referring dentist, or you can collect a printed copy and the digital image on a CD or USB drive from reception.

The entire appointment from arrival to leaving the building typically takes 15 to 25 minutes, with the actual scan occupying only about 15 seconds of that time. There is no recovery period, no side effects, and no restrictions on activity afterward. You can drive yourself home, go back to work, eat, drink, exercise, and resume every normal activity immediately.

"Patients are often surprised at how fast and simple the whole process is," says Dr. Osama Elzamzami, Head of Radiology at DCDC. "Many of them tell us the hardest part was finding parking - the scan itself was over before they realized it had started."

الأسئلة الشائعة

Final Thoughts

Preparing for an OPG X-ray is one of the simplest tasks in medical imaging. No fasting, no injections, no medication changes, and no recovery time. The preparation checklist consists of one primary step: remove all metal from the head and neck area. Beyond that, inform the radiographer if you are pregnant, bring your referral letter if you have one, and arrive ready to stand still for 15 seconds. That is the full extent of OPG preparation.

If you have been referred for an OPG or want a panoramic dental X-ray for orthodontic planning, wisdom tooth evaluation, implant assessment, or a routine dental checkup, Doctors Clinic Diagnostic Center in Dubai Healthcare City offers digital OPG scans with same-day consultant radiologist reporting and walk-in availability. Learn more about our OPG X-ray services, or explore our guide on what an OPG X-ray is for a deeper understanding of the imaging technology itself.

كتبه

Dr. Osama Elzamzami

عرض الملف الشخصي

Diagnostic Radiology

MD, FRCR

Dr. Osama Elzamzami is Head of Radiology at DCDC Dubai Healthcare City, specializing in diagnostic imaging including X-ray, CT, MRI, OPG, CBCT, and ultrasound. With extensive experience in dental and maxillofacial radiology, he provides expert reporting for panoramic and cone-beam imaging studies and oversees all imaging quality standards at the center.

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