If a patient is positioned too far into the machine when taking a panel radiograph, how will the radiograph appear?

When a patient is positioned too far into the machine during a panel radiograph, the resulting image will show blurring and narrowing of the anterior teeth. This happens because the x-ray beam is not centered properly over the structures being imaged, leading to distortion. The anterior teeth are likely to become unclear or indistinct due to their alignment being off with the receptor, which often results in a loss of detail. Additionally, overexposed areas where the beam has not correctly captured the intended anatomy can contribute to the teeth appearing narrower than their true width. Hence, the positioning error directly affects the clarity and size representation of the anterior teeth in the radiographic image.