Understanding Dental X-rays

Of what use are dental X-rays to dental professional? While getting a dental X-ray done may be an uncomfortable experience for the patient, they provide the dentist with a lot of valuable information. They indicate where tooth decay and cavities are, they warn oral surgeons to the presence of nerves or misshapen teeth and roots, they reveal the location of wisdom teeth, bone loss, and presence of cysts, tumors and supernumerary (extra) and impacted teeth. Dental X-rays also point out fractures or cracks and can be a means of recognizing a person at sometime in the future.

Obviously they are put to use on a daily basis in most dental practices, and X-ray equipment is found in almost every Suwanee dentist’s office.

The method of producing an X-ray generally requires the patient to wear a leaden vest first; the technical person or the dentist then places a little cardboard or plastic container inside the patient’s mouth, adjusts it into proper position, and requests them to hold it in its position by biting hard on it. The experience is often a painful one, but it takes only a few seconds. The film plates will be developed and mounted for the doctor’s review.

What is the requirement of a lead vest? Because X-rays involve radiation, experts believe it is best to cover the patient with a protective barrier. The present day lead vest also comes with a thyroid collar which protects the thyroid gland and the entire throat region. Practically speaking, though, the amount of radiation a dental X-ray produces is negligible and nothing to worry about. Many states have strict guidelines about dental X-ray equipment and practices, which require professionals to use the smallest levels possible in order to obtain high-quality images.

Is there any recommended routine for people to get dental X-rays done? Federal guidelines do exist for people who are moderately or highly vulnerable to tooth decay. The Federal Drug Administration recommends an X-ray every two-three years for people less prone to tooth decay, and once every year or eighteen months for people at higher risk of tooth decay.

Modern digital radiography has rendered the old method of using plastic or cardboard film plates totally obsolete.

Interestingly, the developing trends in body piercing, including those of the lip, tongue, cheek and nose may interfere with the results of an X-ray.

There are several types of dental X-rays, and each is used for specific diagnostic purposes by Suwanee dental practitioners. They each address a separate area of the mouth, including the palate, jaws, sinuses and nasal passages. This is done to comprehensively assess different areas of the mouth that are vulnerable to dental ailments.