Which radiograph can show emerging teeth and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)?

• A. Occlusal radiograph
• B. Periapical radiograph
• C. Panoramic radiographs
• D. Cephalometric projections

Answer: (C)

Panoramic radiographs provide a single broad view of both jaws, including developing or erupting teeth and the temporomandibular joints. This wide field of view lets you see where teeth are coming in and how the condyles and joint spaces relate on each side, all in one image. That combination is not available with other options: occlusal radiographs show parts of the arches and can hint at eruption in the front, but they don’t capture the TMJ reliably; periapical radiographs focus on individual teeth and surrounding bone, so they don’t cover both arches or the TMJ; cephalometric projections are used for jaw relationships and growth assessment from a side view, not for mapping eruption patterns and TMJ in the same image.