Dental X-rays

Dental radiographs (x-rays) are essential, preventative, diagnostic tools that provide valuable information not visible during a regular dental exam. Dentists use this information to safely and accurately detect hidden dental abnormalities and complete an accurate treatment plan. Without x-rays, problem areas may go undetected.
Dental x-rays may reveal:

• Abscesses or cysts
• Bone loss
• Cancerous and non-cancerous tumors
• Decay between the teeth
• Developmental abnormalities
• Poor tooth and root positions
• Problems inside a tooth or below the gum line

Detecting and treating dental problems at an early stage can save you time, money, unnecessary discomfort, and your teeth!

Are dental x-rays safe?
We are all exposed to natural radiation in our environment. The amount of radiation exposure from a full mouth series of x-rays is equal to the amount a person receives in a single day from natural sources.

Dental x-rays produce a low level of radiation and are considered safe. Dentists take necessary precautions to limit the patient’s exposure to radiation when taking dental x-rays. These precautions include using lead apron shields to protect the body and using modern, fast film that cuts down the exposure time of each
x-ray.

How often should dental x-rays be taken?
The need for dental x-rays depends on each patient’s individual dental health needs. Your dentist will recommend necessary x-rays based on the review of your medical and dental history, dental examination, signs and symptoms, age consideration, and risk for disease.

Bring to Top

DIGITAL X-RAY TECHNOLOGY
One new dental technology involving dental X-rays is digital X-rays. They offer the advantage of an 90 percent reduction in radiation, no need for film or processing chemicals, production of a nearly instantaneously image, and the ability to use color contrast in the image. Dental digital x-ray system can take a picture of your teeth, then almost immediately show it to you on a computer monitor. You no longer have to sit there for fifteen minutes and wait for X-ray film to develop. Your on-screen picture will look like any typical dental X-ray image but much bigger. One of the advantages to having a digital X-ray is that it allows our dentists to zoom in on a single tooth, rotate it, sharpen it and colorize it - thereby giving them access to important information about how to create your smile design.

It operates much like a traditional x-ray system. A small, flat sensor is placed in your mouth. The sensor is connected to a computer by a thin wire. Next, an x-ray beam is sent through your teeth and into the sensor, which records the image of your teeth and sends it to the computer. The sensor can then be repositioned to photograph other sections of your teeth.

There are a number of reasons why it is better to use digital x-rays. Because the dental Digital x-ray system is more sensitive than dental x-ray film systems, your exposure to x-rays is cut as much as 90 percent. The large and color-enhanced images let you see what your dentist sees, so it's easier for you to understand how your dentist will treat your teeth.

Dental x-rays are an important tool in the diagnosis and treatment of dental problems. They do not, however, replace the need for a visual examination of the head, neck, TMJ and oral cavity. It is only with a combination of both the x-ray and the visual examination that the dentist can best treat his or her patients

TYPES OF X-RAYS
X-rays are divided into two main categories: intraoral, which means that the x-ray film is inside the mouth; and extraoral, which means that the film is outside the mouth.

Intraoral Radiographs
Intraoral X-rays are the most common radiographs made. If you're like most people who visit the dentist, you've had many sets of intraoral radiographs in your life and you'll likely have many more. Because they give a high level of detail, these are the X-rays that allow dentists to find caries, look at the tooth roots, check the health of the bony area surrounding the tooth, see the status of developing teeth, and otherwise monitor good tooth health. The various types of intraoral X-rays show different aspects of the teeth:

Bite-wing X-rays highlight the crowns of the teeth. On each radiograph, the upper and lower teeth in one portion of the mouth are shown, from the crown to about the level of the jaw.

Periapical X-rays highlight the entire tooth. On each radiograph, the teeth from either the upper or lower jaw in one portion of the mouth are shown. The difference from bitewings is that in a periapical X-ray, the whole tooth is shown, from the crown down past the end of the root to the part of the jaw where the tooth is anchored.

Periodically, a dentist may recommend a "full-mouth radiographic survey" or FMX. This means that every tooth, from crown to root to supporting structures, will be X-rayed using both bitewing and periapical radiographs.

Occlusal X-rays are larger and highlight tooth development and placement. On each radiograph, nearly the full arch of teeth in either the upper or lower jaw is shown. These X-rays are taken with the X-ray machine either pointing straight down from near the nose (to take pictures of the upper jaw and teeth), or straight up from under the chin. (to take pictures of the lower jaw and teeth)

Bring to Top

Extraoral Radiographs
Extraoral X-rays are made with the film outside the mouth. These can be considered the "big picture"
X-rays. They show teeth, but their main focus is on the jaw or skull. Extraoral radiographs are used for monitoring growth and development, looking at the status of impacted teeth, examining the relationships between teeth and jaws and examining the temporomandibular joint or other bones of the face. Extraoral
X-rays are less detailed than intraoral X-rays, so they are not used for detecting caries or flaws in individual teeth.

Panoramic radiographs show the entire mouth area - all teeth on both upper and lower jaws - on a single X-ray. This type of X-ray requires a special panoramic X-ray machine. The tube head that emits the X-rays circles behind the patient's head, while the film simultaneously circles across the front. That way, the full, broad view of the jaws is captured on one film. Because the machine moves in a set path, the patient has to be positioned very carefully. And, because the beam and the film are both moving, any movement from the patient will blur the image on the screen. That's why such care is taken to keep the patient's head absolutely still in exactly the right position. The machines may have chin rests, forehead rests, and side head positioners, plus bite-blocks that patients will be asked to close their teeth around. All this may look and feel intimidating, but the process is very safe and often uses less radiation than intraoral radiographs.

Tomograms are a special type of radiograph in which the dentist can focus in on one particular layer, or slice, of anatomy while blurring out all other layers. This allows dentists to see structures that may be difficult to see with standard X-rays. For example, the temporomandibular joint can be difficult to see. The condyle that makes up part of the joint is in the middle of a dense cranial base, so it is extremely difficult to X-ray. But by using a tomography technique called a temporomandibular joint projection, a straight " slice" that's lined up with the condyle shows that area more clearly.

Cephalometric projections are X-rays taken of the entire side of the head. They are used to look at the teeth in relation to the jaw and the profile of the individual. Orthodontists use cephalometric projections to plan their treatments. They will look at the entire face to determine the best way to get the teeth aligned in the right way for that particular person, according to the size of their teeth and jaws.

Sialography is a way of visualizing the salivary glands on a radiograph. Soft tissues, like gums and salivary glands, can't usually be seen on an X-ray because they are not dense enough to absorb enough
X-rays to appear clearly on film. With sialography, the dentist injects a radiopaque contrast material directly into the salivary glands. This material shows up easily on film, allowing dentists to diagnose salivary gland problems, such as blockages or Sjögren's disease.

Computed tomography, or CT scanning, usually is performed in a hospital, not the dentist's office, although a dentist may refer a patient for this test. With this process, the patient lies still in the CT machine while the X-ray beam rotates around. From the X-ray information, a computer creates a three-dimensional image of the interior structures. It is used to identify problems in the bones of the face, such as tumors or fractures.

Bring to Top