Minimum Exposure Digital X-rays
What are Dental X-rays?
A dental x-ray is an image that enables us to see underneath the surface of teeth and gums. These images can help us to see decay, infections, impacted teeth, bone loss and many other oral-related problems. X-rays use a very minimal amount of radiation, so they are safe for patients of all ages, including children. Our goal is to provide your child with comfortable and safe experience when having x-rays taken.
Why Would Your Child Need Dental X-rays?
That is a great questions! One of the main areas cavities develop is between teeth. Most adults are not very diligent with flossing, so why should be expect children to be? X-rays are the only way for us to detect if cavities are developing between our teeth. The earlier we find out if your child has them, the earlier we can fix the problem! And that means sometimes not ever having to treat them. There may be a lot of things going on below the surface of your gums and we won't be able to see anything without the help of an x-ray. Some of the different things that we can see on an x-ray include underlying tooth decay, root infections, bone loss, impacted teeth, and in children, possible missing permanent teeth. For children, x-rays also allow us to monitor development and growth of permanent teeth.
How Often Are X-rays Taken?
This is a very important question. The frequency of x-rays depends mostly on the “caries risk” of a patient. If your child has a high risk of developing cavities, x-rays should be taken every 6 months to make sure no new cavities are growing. If your child has a low risk of developing cavities, x-rays can be done on a yearly basis. We usually take x-rays every 6 months until we feel confident that a child is not developing cavities over time.
What happens during the Dental X-ray process?
Our friendly team member will drape a lead apron over your child’s midsection. We then place a tiny, comfortable device inside your child’s mouth. Our x-ray machine is then aimed at this device to capture the image of your child’s teeth. We usually take 3 to 5 x-rays, depending on your child’s age and needs.
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