How often x-rays are needed depends on each patient. Your dental health team will work with you to determine your needs.
We may recommend a full series of dental x-rays for new patients to ensure we have a complete picture of your current dental health. This x-ray series is usually good for several years.
Bite-Wing:
Bite wing x-rays provide a visual of how the teeth touch one another and help detect tooth decay. A bite-wing is an x-ray taken with the top and bottom teeth together. These x-rays are often done at recall visits.
Periapical:
A periapical x-ray is an x-ray to capture the whole tooth. It provides a visual from the crown, which is the chewing surface, to the bone that helps support the tooth below the gum line. This x-ray is used to detect problems below the gum line within the jaw, such as impacted teeth, fractures, abscesses, tumors and other changes to the bone linked to disease.
Panoramic X-rays:
A panoramic x-ray provides an extraoral and simple-to-perform view of the mouth from ear to ear. Panoramic x-rays are only taken on an as-needed basis. They are important in treatment planning for orthodontic treatment, positioning of wisdom teeth or dental implants. The process is quick and painless. Panoramic film is placed in a mechanism that rotates around the outside of the head, as opposed to x-ray film inside the mouth. Since panoramic x-rays are non-invasive, a patient with an extreme gag reflex may benefit from such an x-ray.
Occlusal X-rays:
Occlusal X-rays highlight overall tooth development. They provide views from the floor and roof of the mouth to detect developmental issues. Occlusal x-rays can be used to see extra teeth, teeth not yet broken through the gums, cleft palates and more. They have even detected embedded foreign objects.
Are Digital X-rays safe?
Digital X-rays are safe and performed by our trained team of dental professionals. Accordingly, they are an essential tool in preventing serious dental issues. Digital X-rays produce much less radiation than traditional dental x-rays. To compare, the amount of radiation in a full mouth series is less than your daily radiation exposure from natural sources.
If you have more questions about x-ray safety, please discuss your concerns with your dental team. We are here to help you make an informed decision and provide accurate and honest answers.