Digital dental x-rays are the latest in x-ray technology, and we are proud to offer this service in our office. Digital x-rays offer a number of significant advantages over traditional radiography for our patients. In this new form of x-ray the images are taken using a small sensor that is placed in the mouth and can take images of the underlying bone, the teeth, and the gums. Images are digital and stored locally on the office computer system. This allows our dentist to quickly enlarge and view the images, providing a superior tool for recognizing and diagnosing dental issues.
Why are dental x-rays important?
Dental x-rays are an important tool that helps our dentist identify and diagnose any issues with your teeth, gums, and the underlying bone that may not be visible during your dental exam. These dental health issues might include:
- Tooth abscesses or cysts
- Cancers inside the mouth, gums, or bone
- Bone loss
- Poor tooth root positioning
- Developmental abnormalities
- Tooth decay between the teeth
- Infections or decay inside the teeth or below the gums
Are dental x-rays safe?
Dental x-rays are very safe, and digital dental x-rays have greatly improved on the original technology. With digital dental x-rays, you will be exposed to 75 percent less radiation than with traditional radiography. There are also no caustic chemical developers to be handled by the staff or stored in our office, eliminating that hazard as well.
Not only are digital dental x-rays safer than traditional radiography, they are also more comfortable. The sensor that is placed in the mouth to capture the images is very small. It also takes less time to capture the image, which reduces or eliminates the chance that you will inadvertently move during the process and increasing the chance that a good image will be captured on the first try.
How often should dental x-rays be taken?
In general, you will have a digital dental x-ray taken a minimum of yearly. However, some patients may need x-rays taken more often, depending on whether or not you have any existing dental issues or if you have undergone dental restorations in the past. Our dentist will schedule your x-rays based on your unique situation.
If you are a new patient with our office, you will have a series of digital dental x-rays taken of your entire mouth so that we can establish a baseline. This will allow the dentist to check for changes over time or for any new dental issues that may have arisen.
What are some other advantages of digital dental x-rays?
This new form of x-ray technology helps our office to provide you with a higher quality of patient care. Our dentist can view the images immediately, and enhance them. By making the image darker or lighter, he can recognize and treat dental issues sooner. Additionally, you will be able to view and discuss these images with our dentist. This allows you to communicate more easily with our dentist and may make it easier for you to understand why the dentist is recommending specific dental treatments.
With digital images, there is no need for a film filing system. This ensures that your x-rays won’t become damaged or lost, and helps to protect your privacy. It also allows our office to more quickly transmit these images to your insurance company instantly, so that you will have a shorter wait for any necessary referrals or treatment approvals.
