Dental X-rays and insurance
How often plans usually pay for bitewings and full-mouth or panoramic X-rays, and why X-rays matter for getting other claims paid.
X-rays are diagnostic services, usually paid at 100% in the 100-80-50 structure. They also do a second job: they are the evidence insurers ask for before paying a crown, a buildup or gum treatment.
Typical limits
| Kind of X-ray | Often limited to |
|---|---|
| Bitewings | 1 set a year; some plans every 6 to 12 months |
| Full-mouth series or panoramic | 1 every 3 to 5 years |
Many plans share one limit between a full-mouth series and a panoramic image, so one of each in the same window can leave the second unpaid.
X-rays as claim evidence
- For crowns, Delta Dental asks for X-ray images with the claim, and Delta Dental of Illinois says the image should be from within a year of the crown prep and show the whole tooth, root tip included. See crowns.
- For a buildup, Delta Dental asks for an X-ray of the whole tooth from within a year of the planned treatment, plus a narrative.
- Images taken partway through treatment don't count as the before picture.
Before the visit
- Check when bitewings and the last full-mouth or panoramic set were paid.
- If the plan won't pay a new set yet, tell the patient the fee first.
- Keep diagnostic-quality images from before treatment for anything major you plan to bill.
This is how plans usually work, not how every plan works. The patient's own plan documents and the insurer decide what's paid.
Codes you'll see
CDT is a registered trademark of the American Dental Association. Tabruns is not affiliated with or endorsed by the ADA. The descriptions here are our own plain-English summaries, not the ADA's official wording; use your current CDT manual or practice software for the official code set.
Terms on this page
Sources
Read November 11, 2026. Where a source describes one insurer's plans, we say so.
Get the patient's share in dollars, from the benefits page
Knowing how plans pay for x-rays is half the job. Tabruns reads the coverage, deductible, yearly maximum, waiting periods and frequency limits from the insurer's portal and works out what the patient owes. Patient details stay on the office computer.
Not ready? Try the free patient portion calculator.