When you visit our dental office, you’ve probably been asked the question: “You’re due for your dental X-rays. Is it OK if we take those today?”

There’s absolutely no reason to worry about X-rays. The process is quick, painless and can help us identify any health issues early.

 

Why Dental X-rays?

Simple oral exams can’t always identify diseases of the teeth and surrounding tissue, but dental X-rays help our team spot any concerns early. Identifying problems early can help save money, discomfort and maybe even your life.

Dental X-rays can show areas of decay, especially in the tiny areas between teeth. They can also highlight bone loss that accompanies gum disease, help reveal infections, and assist in the preparation of dental implants.

Children’s dental X-rays can help identify any developmental abnormalities as well as determine if there’s enough space in the child’s mouth for all of the teeth on their way.

 

Intraoral vs. Extraoral X-rays

At Schumacher & Bauer, we use both intraoral and extraoral X-rays. Intraoral X-rays help us find cavities as well as check the general health of our patients’ teeth and jawbones. Extraoral X-rays help us find impacted teeth, help us monitor growth and help to identify potential problems related to the jaw and skull.

For our intraoral X-rays, we use bite wing X-rays and periapical X-rays. Our extraoral X-rays are panoramic.

 

The ALARA Principle and X-rays

Dental X-rays do require low levels of radiation, but it’s absolutely nothing to be concerned about. Our tools are designed to limit the body’s exposure to radiation, and we take every precaution possible to ensure that our patients’ exposure to radiation is As Low As Reasonably Achievable. (The ALARA principle)

If you have questions about dental X-rays the next time you’re in our office, never hesitate to ask. Our team is always happy to answer your questions and to keep your visit as comfortable as we can.

 

We’re featuring stories and suggestions from the team members at Schumacher & Bauer, DDS in our new monthly blog series. You can view all posts in this series here.