Understanding Dental X-Rays
Dental x-rays are an important diagnostic tool that dentists use to comprehensively examine our patients' oral health. However, many people have questions about the purpose, risks, and process of receiving dental x-rays. At Quay Dental, we strive to educate our community about all aspects of dental care. Let's take a look at what you need to know about dental x-rays.
When are Dental X-Rays Useful?
Dental x-rays are beneficial for making diagnoses, planning treatments, and monitoring oral health over time. They provide detailed images of the teeth, gums, and jaws that allow dentists to detect issues like cavities, fractures, cysts, tumours, and other abnormalities.
Some common reasons we may recommend an x-ray include:
Initial examinations for new patients
Investigating a toothache or other symptoms
Monitoring wisdom tooth development and impaction risks
Checking for signs of gum disease or other oral conditions
By revealing underlying problems, x-rays help dentists develop targeted treatment plans to best address our patients' oral health needs.
Understanding Radiation Risks
Dental x-rays use a very low dose of ionising radiation. In fact, the amount is similar to your environmental exposure from background radiation over a few days. Risks are considered very low for both adults and children when exposures are carefully managed by trained professionals using quality equipment and techniques.
At Quay Dental, our team is specially trained and equipped to safely capture the ideal images using minimal radiation. We also regularly inspect our equipment to ensure it is functioning properly and safely.
Benefits Outweigh Small Risks
While radiation exposure carries some risk, the benefits of an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan based on dental x-rays overwhelmingly outweigh these minimal risks. Finding issues early allows us to intervene less invasively before they worsen, leading to better long-term oral and overall health for our patients.
The X-Ray Process
X-rays are normally taken during your regular exam visit with us. We'll explain every step and answer any questions you have. You'll receive your results before leaving or be notified how and when to receive them.
We hope this helps explain the role of dental x-rays here at Quay Dental. Do you have any other questions? Our goal is to keep you informed every step of the way during your dental care.