Background: Aim was to compare clinical findings with x-ray findings using dental panoramic radiography (DPR).\r\nIn addition, type and frequency of secondary findings in x-rays were investigated.\r\nMethods: Patients were selected on the basis of available DPRs (not older than 12 months). No therapeutic\r\nmeasures were permitted between the DPR and the clinical findings. The clinical findings were carried out by\r\nseveral investigators who had no knowledge of the purpose of the study. A calibrated investigator established the\r\nx-ray findings, independently and without prior knowledge of the clinical findings. The evaluation parameters for\r\neach tooth were: missing, healthy, carious, restorative or prosthetically sufficient or insufficient treatment. Type and\r\nfrequency of additional findings in the DPR were documented, e.g. quality of a root canal filling and apical changes.\r\nResults: Findings of 275 patients were available. Comparison showed a correspondence between clinical and\r\nradiographic finding in 93.6% of all teeth (n = 7,789). The differences were not significant (p > 0.05). Regarding\r\ncarious as well as insufficiently restored or prosthetically treated teeth, respectively there were significant differences\r\nbetween the two methods (p < 0.05). The DPRs showed additional findings: root fillings in 259 teeth and 145 teeth\r\nwith periapical changes.\r\nConclusions: With reference to the assessment of teeth, there was no difference between the two methods.\r\nHowever, in the evaluation of carious as well as teeth with insufficiently restorative or prosthetic treatment, there\r\nwas a clear discrepancy between the two methods. Therefore, it would have been possible to have dispensed with\r\nx-rays. Nevertheless, additional x-ray findings were found
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