X-Rays
X-rays are an extremely useful and important diagnostic tool and can aid in preventing many major problems. Dental x-rays are taken routinely by your dentist. There are many diseases and dental defects, which can not be seen by the naked eye, especially where teeth are concerned. These may include such things as decay under old fillings, teeth trapped below the gums, cavities between the teeth, bone loss as a result of gum disease, tumors, cysts and changes in jaw bone structure which can be affected by many systemic diseases.
|
Full Series X-Ray |
If you are a new patient, your dentist may recommend x-rays to check the current status of your mouth and to check for hidden problems. Upon your first visit to the dentist he or she will usually take a full series of x-rays consisting of 14 - 20 films. |
| A Panoramic x-ray film showing a much greater areas of your jaw bones may be needed for your dentist to see impacted wisdom teeth, bone cysts, jaw fractures, and certain kinds of bone cancers. |
 Panoramic X-Ray |
|
Bitewing x-ray |
Every six months to a year your dentist may take a small series of x-rays consisting of four films called bitewings. A six-month period is a long time in the life of a cavity and it is for this reason that a visit to the dentist every six months is so important. |
Are X-Rays Safe?
Patients worried about exposure to radiation during dental x-rays need not be concerned. Numerous precautions and advances in x-ray equipment help protect patients from receiving unnecessary radiation. The amount of radiation received from a dental x-ray exam is extremely small compared to other naturally occurring sources of radiation, including exposure to sun, minerals in the soil, radon and cosmic radiation from outer space. Unlike their medical counterparts dental x-rays are very low in radiation. A full-mouth series of films, using state-of-the-art technology, will deliver an effective dose that is equivalent to about 19 days of exposure to naturally occurring environmental radiation. The reason for this is that the amount of radiation needed to expose a film as small as a dental x-ray is very small. The area of your body being exposed is also very small and the beam of radiation is very narrow. It passes through the cheek and out of your body. The rest of your body is shielded from any stray particles with a lead apron or shield.
Computer Digital Radiography
 |
Our office is
using new technology called Computer Digital Radiography. This technology allows for the same quality of x-rays to be taken
with 90% less radiation exposure to the patient. In addition, CDR allows for
better diagnosing because the image can be enlarge up to 400 times its size
allowing dentist to see things which were previously too small for a human
eye.
This environmentally friendly technology does not produce waste or require toxic developing solutions like traditional x-rays. |