Your dentist is highly trained to quickly spot any teeth or gum issues you might have during a check up. However, no matter how good their eyesight is, there may be things going on below the gum line that are not visible – even to the most eagle-eyed dentist. That’s where dental x-rays have proven to be an essential diagnostic tool for dentists to make a comprehensive examination and assessment of your oral health.
A dental x-ray can reveal the presence of oral health issues long before any physical signs or symptoms appear. This early detection advantage allows a dentist to treat a dental problem sooner rather than later, when the problem may have worsened and caused irreversible damage to your tooth and gums.
Modern Dental X-rays are safe for the whole family
Dental X-rays are a lot better today than 20 or 30 years ago. They utilise more advanced technology that limits your exposure to radiation at extremely low levels. So low, in fact, that if you took a 3 hour plane flight, you would be exposed to higher levels of radiation than a dental x-ray.
Don’t worry if you notice your dentist or hygienist leaves the room when you have your x-ray. This limits their day-to-day exposure to radiation since they are doing them all the time.
Why do you need a dental x-ray?
A dentist uses dental x-rays in clinical situations for a number of reasons. They can be used to detect hidden decay or establish your suitability for a specific treatment, such as dental implants.
Before your dentist makes the decision to perform an x-ray, they take into account your past and current oral health status, age, risk of oral disease, and visible signs and symptoms, in order to determine the type of x-ray that needs to be taken.
What can a dental x-ray reveal about your oral health?
Dental x-rays can reveal a lot about your oral health, including:
- Pockets of tooth decay in hard-to-see areas of the mouth
- The presence and stage of periodontal disease
- The condition of dental fillings, overlays, inlays, crowns and bridges
- Abscesses and other oral infections
- Cysts and tumours
- Oral developmental issues such as impacted wisdom teeth
- Tooth and jaw fractures as a result of oral trauma or injury
- Assessment of bone density to determine suitability for dental implants
- Oral anatomy to determine the proximity between tooth roots, nerves, jaw bone and sinuses when planning dental surgery and other treatment
If you’ve taken a dental x-ray and it shows that you have oral health issues, your dentist can discuss possible treatment options to prevent, treat or manage your condition before it gets worse and more expensive to treat.
Safe and accurate Digital X-rays at TC Dental Group
At TC Dental Group, we have invested in the latest intraoral scanners, digital x-ray equipment and 3D dental software to ensure that you receive the most accurate oral diagnosis and assessment at your dental visit. It is also our practice policy to keep digital x-rays to a minimum so that you don’t receive any unnecessary exposure.
