When it comes to maintaining good dental health, X-rays are essential tools that enable your dentist to identify problems the naked eye cannot see. However, many patients ask themselves whether dental X-rays are necessary due to various reasons, such as radiation.
Images from the X-rays assist your dentist in diagnosing dental issues at an early stage, helping you avoid pain, costly treatments, and the long-term effects of poor dental health.
Undergoing an X-ray also helps detect cavities, evaluate bone density, and locate teeth that have not yet erupted so that you can have a healthy and beautiful smile. If you are in a dilemma about whether you require a dental X-ray, you should consult an experienced and competent dentist to help you make an informed decision.
An Overview of Dental X-Rays
Dental X-rays, also referred to as dental radiographs, are images taken of teeth to help your dentist diagnose the condition of your oral cavity, jaws, and other facial structures. These X-rays help dentists see what is beneath the surface—that is, more than what can be observed during a normal dental check-up.
Dental X-rays help the dentist see cavities, bone loss, impacted teeth, and other problems that you might not feel yet. These early findings help avoid more complicated dental issues later in life so you can maintain a strong and healthy smile.
How Dental X-Rays Work
Dental X-rays are images of the inside of your teeth, gums, and jaws, and the technique uses a small amount of radiation to make these images. When you are undergoing a dental X-ray, a machine directs controlled X-ray beams to the part of your mouth being examined.
These beams penetrate through your soft tissues, such as your gums, and harder structures, like teeth and bones, then absorb them to form an image on the film or digital sensor.
The end product of this procedure is a comprehensive report that shows images of different dental issues. For example, dental carries appear dark because decay absorbs more radiation than healthy enamel, which appears lighter.
Such differences enable your dentist to identify any concealed problems at an early stage and devise a course of action. Dental X-ray technology used nowadays is much more efficient, accurate, and safe than in the past.
Reasons Why a Dentist Uses Dental X-Rays
Dentists rely on X-rays for several important purposes, and all of them are aimed at providing you with the most appropriate treatment for your dental problems and keeping your dental cavity healthy. Some key reasons why X-rays are an indispensable tool in modern dentistry include the following:
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Early Detection of Dental Problems
X-rays help dentists diagnose dental conditions such as gum diseases, cavities, and infections at early stages. You should go for screening to avoid pain, complex processes, and expensive dental treatments.
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Assessing Bone Health
X-rays give vital information about the health of the bone that supports your teeth. They assist your dentist in determining the extent of the bone damage resulting from periodontal diseases to plan for the correct measures of restoring your bone structure.
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Planning Treatment:
From fillings to crowns to implants, X-rays help your dentist plan effective treatment. Dental X-rays offer valuable information about the state of your teeth and the structure around them, thus allowing for solutions.
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Detecting Hidden Dental Issues:
Some dental conditions cannot be easily observed, such as impacted teeth or an abscessed tooth. Although these problems are not easily discernible, dental X-rays assist in identifying them early so that they can be treated on time.
What Dental X-Rays Can Detect
Some of the key dental conditions that dental X-rays can help detect include the following:
Cavities
Dental X-rays help your dentist identify decay that occurs between teeth or under previous fillings. You can be diagnosed with several forms of cavities, and therefore, it is essential that you go for a check-up so your dentist can detect and treat them at the initial stage.
Bone Loss
Gingivitis may cause the bone tissues surrounding your teeth to lose their mass. Therefore, an X-ray will provide a picture of how much bone mass has been lost due to gum disease. These images help your dentist plan your treatment.
Impacted Teeth
Wisdom teeth or any other teeth that are not able to erupt normally can become impacted. This means that the tooth is trapped beneath your gum. A dental X-ray shows the tooth’s location and possible complications that are related to that tooth. This helps the dentist to make an informed decision on whether your tooth needs to be extracted or not.
Abscess or Infections
X-rays can show dental abscesses, which refer to pockets of infection that occur at the root of a tooth. When you detect dental abscess in the initial stages, you will be able to avoid the adverse effects it could have on your dental health.
Cysts and Tumors
Dental X-rays can reveal cysts or tumors in the jaw and surrounding area. Although not all growths are cancerous, they must be detected early enough to allow the right assessment of their nature.
Tooth and Jaw Alignment
Information on how your teeth and jaws are positioned can be easily obtained if your dentist takes their images through a dental X-ray. This information is particularly relevant for orthodontic treatments and for the assessment of jaw disorders.
Dental X-rays allow your dentist to develop a treatment plan for you. Annual X-rays are important for maintaining long-term oral hygiene and addressing any problems that may occur.
Types of Dental X-Rays
There are several types of dental X-rays, each of which is used to give detailed images of different parts of the mouth. Dental X-rays are categorized into two main types: intraoral and extraoral.
The main distinction is that intraoral X-rays are designed to take images of structures within the oral cavity. In contrast, extraoral X-rays are made to give a broader view, commonly targeting the jaw and skull. These types of X-rays enable your dentist to take a close look at your teeth, bones, and soft tissues and identify several dental problems.
Intraoral X-rays
Intraoral X-rays are the most frequently used during dental examinations. They give your doctor a clear view of each tooth and the surrounding bone mass to identify any decay and assess the growth of the root and the general health of your teeth and gums. They include the following:
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Periapical X-Rays
A periapical X-ray is a picture of an entire tooth structure, from the crown to the apex of the root. This X-ray is particularly useful in revealing problems that may occur below the gum line, such as bone infections or deformities.
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Bitewing X-Rays
Bitewing X-rays display the upper and lower teeth in one particular section of the mouth. They are mainly employed to identify gaps between teeth and the bone densities that undergird them, helping to identify cavities before they progress.
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Occlusal X-Rays
An occlusal X-ray is taken on the floor or roof of your mouth, and it includes the whole series of teeth in either the upper or lower jaw. This type of X-ray is commonly used in the identification of supplemental teeth, fractures, and cysts that may not be seen on other films.
Extraoral X-rays
Extraoral X-rays give a more general picture of your mouth, jaws, and skull to your dentist. They are used to study areas other than the teeth and gums. These X-rays are normally used to check for the development of jaws, to evaluate the facial bones, and to check the position of the teeth against the jaw.
Even though extraoral X-rays do not offer the same degree of detail as intraoral X-rays, they are helpful in diagnosing more extensive problems that involve the whole jaw or head. They include the following:
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Cone Beam CT Scan
This scan provides a 3D picture of your teeth, jaw, and tissues that surround them. It offers near-perfect image quality, which is useful when mapping out dental procedures such as implants or analyzing problems with the jaw. This type of X-ray is commonly employed when an ordinary X-ray is not sufficient to help the dentist make the right diagnosis.
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Cephalometric X-Rays
Cephalometric X-rays are general X-rays of the whole head that take pictures of the side view of the skull. These images are usually used by orthodontists to observe the positions of the jaw and teeth and assess likely adjustments, including orthodontic braces. These X-rays also assist in determining the growth of your jaw and its position in relation to the rest of your face.
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Panoramic X-Rays
A panoramic X-ray gives you a large picture of your whole mouth, all your teeth, and both the jaws and bones that surround them. This type of X-ray is especially helpful in determining if a tooth is impacted, if there are cysts or tumors, or any other large-scale problem. A panoramic X-ray is often prescribed prior to periodontal surgery, such as tooth extraction or the putting in of a dental implant.
How Dental X-Rays are Done
Dental X-rays are quite comfortable and usually take only a few minutes to complete during your regular check-up appointment. During a dental X-ray process, you will undergo the following:
Preparation
Before the dental X-ray process, your dentist or your dental assistant will place a lead apron over your chest, abdomen, and neck area. This apron assists in reducing your body’s exposure to radiation in areas where you do not need to undergo an X-ray.
If you are pregnant, you should let your dentist know so that they can take some extra measures to ensure your safety.
Positioning the X-Ray Machine
After the initial preparation, your dentist or technician will place a small sensor or film in your mouth. You have to have this film on throughout the examination. For example, if your dentist is employing the bitewing X-ray, you will be required to bite on the bitewing to keep the sensor in position.
The dental X-ray machine will be positioned in a way that it will take the needed picture of the appropriate region of your mouth.
Taking the X-Ray
After you have settled well and are in the appropriate posture, your dentist will stand behind the safety shield and turn on the X-ray machine. The machine will then release a small amount of radiation to take the image. The entire exposure takes less than a second and is, therefore, very safe.
Reviewing the Images
Once your picture is taken, images from the digital X-ray are produced almost immediately. This means by the time you finish taking off your lead shield and settle down in the waiting room for a few minutes; you will have your dental image developed. Your dentist will then explain any conclusions that they made or anything that worries them from the images during your examination.
You should note that dental X-rays are safe; the radiation exposure is minimal, especially when you are using digital X-rays, unlike when you use traditional X-rays. Also, you only require one X-ray procedure per year during your dental checkup to monitor any dental issues.
However, if you have a history of dental issues, you may require dental X-ray procedures done twice a year, that is, every six months. Moreover, you can always refuse to undergo a radiograph examination if you do not feel comfortable, and you should discuss this with your dentist.
Find the Best Dental Preventative Care Expert Near Me
Dental X-rays are essential tools in preventative oral health care. They help your dentist collect information to identify any problems, monitor changes in your teeth and jaws, and determine further care.
X-rays are a preventative measure against complicated dental conditions; however, the frequency of this examination depends on your age, dental history, and general health condition.
At Lasting Impressions Dental Spa, our goal is to help you maintain the best oral hygiene possible for your teeth. We have the latest dental X-ray technology to offer safe and efficient X-rays. Contact us today at 818-751-5100 to book your consultation with one of our qualified dentists if you are in the Encino area.
