Are Digital Dental X-Rays Safe?
Every day, we’re exposed to radiation from the sun, our cell phones, or even airplane rides. A set of four “bitewing” x-rays, typically taken once a year, produces an amount of radiation of only about 0.005 mSv, less than the average daily dose of radiation in everyday life. Interestingly, going through an airport scanner 80 times is equivalent to a single day of casual radiation exposure. Moreover, a seven-hour plane ride produces radiation exposure comparable to 16 small dental x-rays!
Digital Dental X-Rays – An Overview
Digital radiography is a modern x-ray imaging technology that uses digital x-ray sensors instead of traditional photographic x-ray film. It captures high-quality digital images of your teeth, gums, and other oral structures, which we can enlarge and zoom in on specific areas of concern with extreme clarity and detail.
Compared to everyday living, digital dental x-rays are considered incredibly safe, even for pediatric patients. However, our team takes x-rays only when essential and takes all necessary precautions, including lead apron shields for added protection. At Afton Dental, your safety and well-being are always our top concerns.
What Are the Uses of Digital Dental X-Rays?
Digital x-ray technology offers an invaluable diagnostic and preventive tool. It allows us to uncover hidden concerns, including early signs of decay between the teeth, problems beneath the gums, tooth pulp damage, cysts, abscesses, bone loss, benign and malignant tumors, poor tooth root positions, and so much more.
Digital dental x-rays help monitor the developing mouths of children. We can evaluate whether there’s enough room to accommodate the incoming permanent teeth and ensure your child’s oral development is on track. We’ll intervene as needed to address any concerns early on before they progress.
Digital x-rays provide a wealth of information not seen during a physical examination. That allows our dental team to create targeted and effective preventive and restorative treatment plans to promote long-term oral health.
How Often Do You Require Dental X-Rays?
During your first visit to our practice, we’ll recommend a series of dental x-rays to create a baseline we’ll use to create targeted treatment plans and for future reference. From that point on, most of our patients require x-rays once or twice a year, during their routine dental visits, depending on their age, dental history, oral hygiene, and the risk of oral health problems. If any dental issues surface between regular dental visits, we may need to take x-rays to evaluate your concerns.
Digital Dental X-Rays Near Me
Contact Afton Dental in Concord, NC, to schedule your routine dental exam. We’ll evaluate your oral health and may take digital x-rays to uncover and treat any problem early on. Our goal is to keep your smile healthy and sound for life. Call us at 704-788-1717 to schedule your appointment today!