Why You Need to Have X-rays Taken
X-rays are an extremely important part of the dental visit. Although by actually looking at your teeth we can diagnose many problems, x-rays are needed to help us see what we can't with the naked eye. Without x-rays certain problems could be overlooked, leading to pain, infection, bad breath, chewing difficulty, loss of teeth, and other complications. The x-rays we use in our office are digital, which means that besides having an image on the computer screen which can be magnified, contrasted, and displayed in 3-D, you are getting about 20% of the radiation per film taken versus a regular dental x-ray. We also limit your x-ray exposure by having you wear a lead apron and aiming the x-ray beam only at the structures of which we want an image.
The benefits to be derived from necessary dental x-rays are far greater than the hazards. If your dentist missed finding a tumor which could destroy half a jaw bone or missed decay which could develop from a simple filling to a root canal and crown treatment, would you feel that the refusal to have x-rays was realistic? Most people feel that such a real saving in health or economic costs is worth it.
To put the amount of radiation you receive into perspective, you would have to have 950 digital intraoral x-rays taken to equal the amount of radiation the average citizen picks up from naturally occurring background sources each year.
For more information, the following website is an excellent resource on x-rays: http://www.doctorspiller.com/Dental%20_X-Rays.htm
Bitewing X-rays
Bitewings are the x-rays that let us see what is going on between the teeth. These x-rays are taken every 1-2 years. The cavities that occur between the teeth are very hard, if not impossible, to see during a clinical exam (unless the cavity is very large). Bitewings allow us to see these very cavities. They also let us see the bone level, which is important in determining if you have periodontal (gum) disease.
Periapical X-rays
Periapical x-rays show us a picture of the whole tooth. They are the x-rays that are taken if you have pain or a problem with a specific tooth. These x-rays allow us to see if there is an infection, fracture, or other problem concerning a tooth.
Panoramic X-rays
A panoramic x-ray, which gives you a view of all the teeth and jaw at once, is excellent for evaluation of trauma, third molars, tooth development, and certain anomalies. It is taken once every 5 years.
