PA or OPG for extractions

An OPG can provide useful information when extracting multiple teeth with the benefit of lower radiation exposure than multiple PAs. However, A paralleling technique PA will provide the maximum level of quality of the root structure. This can be essential in treatment planning the extraction of roots with fine anatomy such as bulbous roots, curved root tips etc which may not be visible on an OPG. When using an OPG to gauge the difficulty of extractions take your time and look carefully under magnification. Look for proximity to adjacent teeth, Root shape and thickness, Size of restorations, proximity to vital structures.