Dental X-rays can help the doctor spot the troubles in your mouth before they can cause serious dental issues for you. Moreover, it is advised to treat the health issues early before they get intense. Thus, this can protect you from painful surgeries and even save a lot of money as well.
Moreover, it is not about saving money but also about eliminating the pain and sometimes saving your life. Dentists use dental X-rays to examine the teeth and surrounding tissue disorders that aren’t visible during a routine oral examination.
The reports also assist the dentist in detecting and treating tooth issues at the early stages. Although dental X-rays appear complicated, they are relatively easy as standard tools are used. On the other hand, it is also painless.
Dive in if you are willing to reading more about the dental x-ray!
Purpose of a Dental X-ray
You can go for dental X-rays once a year or after every two years. But, be mindful that it depends on your age and other factors. Yes, your doctor might recommend dental x-rays if he suspects that you might suffer from some problem.
Below are the factors on account of which you have to go for dental x-rays.
- A history of gum disease (gingivitis) or tooth decay
- Any symptoms of oral disease
- Your age
- Current oral health
If you are a new patient, your doctor might ask you to have a complete mouth x-ray. So he can examine your condition well. This is very critical if you don’t have any X-rays from your former dentist.
Moreover, detailed X-rays allow your dentist to examine the health of your roots, jaws, and teeth, simply put, your overall mouth health. The X-ray also assists your dentist in detecting and treating tooth issues in the early stages s before they get serious.
It is easier for the dentist to detect mouth health due to x-rays. Thus, X-rays are a type of radiation that can pass through solid objects easily. So, dense items, such as teeth and bones absorb this energy. As a result, they appear as light-colored patches on X-rays reports. While on the other hand, X-rays travel through less thick materials such as gums and cheeks and appear on film as dark regions.
Thus, X-rays can help diagnose health problems that are not easily detected with oral examinations. So, go for it!
A Dental X-ray Procedure
Do not stress out! As no special preparation is needed for dental X-rays. But, do brush your teeth before your visit to the dentist is to brush your teeth. Make sure you do not consume food that contains a strong odor.
Your health care facilitator will ask you to sit in a chair when you visit the place. The X-ray machine is placed next to your head so it can easily click pictures of your mouth. Thus, the procedure is pretty simple first; the dentist would examine your mouth to check the mouth’s overall health.
Later he would ask you to be in a specific position, be mindful that you do not change your position; otherwise, proper images will not be obtained. Nevertheless, the process is painless and fast.
Once the X-ray is done, the dentist will examine your reports and let you know how to go about the treatment. So, be patient and follow the instructions of your dentist.
Different Types of Dental X-rays
Do you know there are different types of X-rays? It depends on your condition and which x-ray your doctor would recommend.
- Bitewing: This is a standard method for detecting cavities between teeth. In this type of x-ray, your dentist might ask you to bite a piece of paper. Thus, in this way, the dentist can examine whether your teeth’ crown matches up or not.
Ø Occlusal:
This method tends to click the picture of the entire teeth in one go. In this method, your jaw is closed, and then an X-ray is taken to see how your upper and lower teeth line up. The floor of the mouth and the palate can also be used to discover anatomical anomalies.
- Periapical. In this method, the focus is on the two complete teeth from root to crown. Thus, this type of x-ray shows whether all the teeth are in proportion or not. The different changes in the root and bone structures are identified quickly.
- Panoramic. The machine spins around the head to monitor the entire mouth in this method. The purpose is to conduct full mouth X-rays. Thus, your dentist may use this method to examine your wisdom teeth, arrange for implanted dental equipment, or study jaw issues.
Risks
There are risks associated with a single dental x-ray but do not worry, and the radiation exposure is relatively low.
However, even at modest levels of radiation exposure, some studies reveal a minor increase in cancer risk, particularly in youngsters. To be safe, we do everything we can to limit the amount of radiation we are exposed to. Only the amount of radiation required to examine the area of interest will be used by the dentist.
The only exception is pregnancy. Yes, pregnant women who suspect they may be pregnant should avoid all sorts of X-rays. Moreover, tell your dentist if you think you might be pregnant since radiation is not safe for your baby.
Yes, even though the exposure is minimal, you need to take extra precautions to protect your baby.
Take Away
We hope you understand the importance of taking care of your teeth. Thus, regular dental X-rays are essential even if you brush and floss your mouth daily. An excellent dental checkup can be reassuring, but it does not imply that you shouldn’t continue to have X-rays.
X-rays may be needed after every two years, but it depends on your age and health condition. Your physician can guide you easily. Moreover, if you suffer any discomfort or feel that something is disturbing you, you should visit your dentist as soon as possible.