Dental X-rays

Dental x-rays are an essential part of maintaining a healthy smile. Unlike a clinical examination, x-rays enable dentists to see areas otherwise hidden from view such as, areas between adjoining teeth, below the gum line, and surrounding jaw and facial bones. With x-rays, dentists can examine these areas and discover ailments such as cavities, tumors, and bone disease that would likely go undetected until the patient was feeling discomfort or suffering medical problems.

Using x-rays, dentists can diagnose a problem in its early stages when treatment is minimal or noninvasive such as, a filling or oral medication. Nearly all ailments left untreated have the potential to cause serious health and dental problems sometimes resulting in loss of a tooth, disfiguring surgery, or death. For example, a recent patient's dental x-rays displayed the beginnings of a tumor, an indication of maxillary (jaw) cancer. Because the tumor was caught early, treatment was both effective and relatively noninvasive, likely saving the patient's life. While tumors are rare, cavities and gum disease are not, and early detection is vital in effectively treating the ailment with minimal impact on the patient.

For most patients, x-rays should be taken every three to five years. The more extensive and frequent the dental treatments you have received, the more often x-rays should be taken. A full series of dental x-rays is about 18 individual films. 18 films may seem like a lot of x-ray exposure, but it is actually very minimal. Dental x-rays use a much lower dosage of radiation than medical x-rays. For example, a typical dental x-ray is equivalent to one-fiftieth of one chest x-ray. The actual amount of exposure is even lower because dental x-rays are small in size, have a narrow x-ray cone (the point where the radiation exits the x-ray machine), and a heavy lead shield protects the patient from any potential stray radiation.

If you have not had a full set of dental x-rays taken in the past three years, or you have more questions about the processing of x-raying the mouth and jaw, contact our office. We will be happy to assist you in any way we can.