WHY ARE DENTAL X-RAYS IMPORTANT

Welcome to True Smiles Dental Marrickville! We understand that visiting the dentist can be daunting, and that dental x-rays may not be your favourite topic and may be concerned about the level of radiation it emits. However, dental x-rays play an essential role in your oral health and can help us detect potential problems before they become more severe and therefore, avoid costly treatment. In this blog post, we’ll discuss why dental x-rays are important, the types of dental x-rays available, how often you should update them, and some common misconceptions about dental x-rays.

 Fun fact: Did you know that bananas contain radiation? 

 Bananas have radiation that is naturally occuring and is 0.1 radiation unit whereas a dental x-ray is 0.2 radiation unit. 

Why are dental x-rays important?

Dental x-rays are crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of dental problems. They provide a detailed view of your teeth, gums, and jawbone, which helps us detect and treat dental problems that may not be visible during your regular clinical examination.

A simple way to put it is, if the x-ray can see it, it may still be quite small and treatable with conservative means. If the dentist can see it with their eyes, it may be approaching a larger size. However, if the patient can see it, then it might be quite big which requires a bit of work to resolve.

Dental x-rays are essential for the following reasons:

Early Detection of Dental Problems: Dental x-rays help us detect dental problems early, before they cause significant damage to your teeth and gums. X-rays can identify early signs of dental decay, gum disease, and other oral problems before they are visible to the naked eye. This early detection can lead to less invasive and less expensive treatments. For example, a sign of early dental decay located in between the teeth can be seen as a shadow confined to the first layer of the tooth. When this is detected, your dental health professional will go through ways to prevent this early decay from progressing and thus avoid treating it with a filling or even tooth loss.

Effective Treatment Planning: Dental x-rays enable us to develop a treatment plan tailored to your unique needs. They help us determine the extent of dental problems, evaluate the position and development of your teeth, and assess the condition of your jawbone. With this information, we can create a customised treatment plan that addresses your specific needs. Particularly in children, having x-rays to view where the permanent teeth are within the developing dentition/mouth will give us the insight whether there will be significant crowding to occur in future and if the bite (occlusion) will be unideal. With this information, it can allow us to intervene and/or refer to an Orthodontist for early treatment in order to prevent detrimental long term effects to the development of a child.

Prevention of Future Dental Problems: Regular dental x-rays can help prevent future dental problems. By detecting problems early, we can take preventive measures to stop them from worsening, such as prescribing fluoride treatments or recommending dental sealants. X-rays can also help us monitor the growth and development of children’s teeth, allowing us to detect any potential problems early and prevent more serious issues from developing.

Oral malignancies: just like anywhere else in the body, unfavourable lesions may form that can lead to fatal outcomes. As such, dental x-rays can help us detect for such oral malignancies which can be difficult to detect in its early stages, but dental x-rays can help us identify abnormalities in the jaw or teeth that may indicate cancer. Early detection of oral cancer is critical for successful treatment, so regular dental x-rays can potentially save lives.

In summary, dental x-rays are a valuable tool for maintaining optimal oral health. They can help us detect and treat dental problems early, develop customized treatment plans, and prevent future dental issues. While some people may have concerns about radiation exposure, the benefits of dental x-rays far outweigh the risks, and we take every precaution to ensure that our patients are safe during the process. Below, we will discuss the types of dental x-rays and debunk some myths regarding this.

Types of Dental X-rays:

At True Smiles Dental Marrickville, we use different types of dental x-rays to evaluate various aspects of your oral health. These include:

Bitewing X-rays: These x-rays are taken to evaluate the crowns of the upper and lower teeth. They are particularly useful in detecting cavities between the teeth. These also provide additional insight to the bone loss that has occurred on the back teeth and where potentially tartar or calculus has been built up underneath the gum. Bitewing x-rays are usually taken every 12-24 months, depending on your decay rate.

Panoramic X-rays: These x-rays provide a complete view of your upper and lower jaws. They are useful in detecting problems with the bone levels which helps the clinician and patient better understand the activity of the periodontal health. Particularly in children and adolescents, we are able to evaluate the adult teeth that are coming through and missing adult teeth. They are also helpful in viewing the development and eruption of the wisdom teeth and to help determine if they are required to be removed before it causes any damages to the adjacent teeth. They are also particularly useful for finding any pathologies (oral malignancies) that can appear in the jaw. Panoramic x-rays are typically taken every 3-5 years, or as needed.

Periapical X-rays: These x-rays are used to evaluate the root and surrounding bone of a single tooth. They are helpful in diagnosing abscesses and other infections. Periapical x-rays may be taken as needed, depending on your individual needs.

Occlusal X-rays: These x-rays are used to evaluate the development and placement of teeth in the upper or lower jaw. They are particularly useful in detecting problems with children’s teeth. They also useful in very young children who had a fall and traumatised their front teeth. They are only taken when needed.

How often should you update your dental x-rays?

The frequency at which you should update your dental x-rays depends on several factors, including your age, medical and dental history, and current oral health. Generally, most people should update their x-rays every 12-24 months. However, some people may need to update their x-rays more frequently. For example, if you have a history of cavities or gum disease, we may recommend more frequent x-rays to monitor your oral health.

Children may require more frequent x-rays than adults because their teeth and jaws are still developing. We may also recommend more frequent x-rays if you are undergoing a dental procedure or treatment that requires us to monitor your oral health closely.

It’s important to note that dental x-rays use very low levels of radiation and are generally considered safe. However, we take every precaution to ensure that your exposure to radiation is minimal.

Common Misconceptions About Dental X-Rays:

There are several misconceptions about dental x-rays that may prevent people from getting the care they need. Here are some of the most common myths about dental x-rays:

Myth #1: Dental x-rays are unnecessary and only expose you to radiation.

Fact: Dental x-rays are an essential tool for diagnosing and treating dental problems. The dental x-ray tube is shaped as a cylinder which aids in localising the radiation to the mouth. Once the radiation is released, the residual radiation particles that are scattered are very minute and thus, a very low chance of leading to any pathologies. At True Smiles Dental, we use digital x-ray technology with lower radiation than the traditional x-ray and are considered safe. So as mentioned prior with the fun fact, having two bitewings is like eating two bananas. The benefits of dental x-rays far outweigh the risks.

Myth #2: Dental x-rays are only necessary if you have a problem with your teeth.

Fact: A lot of people believe that dental x-rays are not necessary if you have good oral hygiene habits. While brushing, flossing and maintaining healthy dietary habits are essential for maintaining oral health, they cannot detect or prevent all dental problems. Dental x-rays can provide a more comprehensive view of your oral health, allowing us to identify and treat issues that may not be visible to the naked eye, making dental x-rays part of preventative care. They help us detect potential problems before they become more severe, which can save you time and money in the long run.

Myth #3: Dental x-rays are painful.

Fact: Dental x-rays are painless. You may feel a slight discomfort when the x-ray film is positioned in your mouth, but this should only last a few seconds.

Myth #4: Dental x-rays are expensive.

Fact: At True Smiles Dental Marrickville, our check up and cleans are gap free! This means that your private health insurance will cover the cost of dental x-rays. If you do not have private health insurance, we offer affordable dental x-rays for all our patients.

Conclusion:

Dental x-rays are an essential part of maintaining your oral health. They help us detect potential problems early, develop effective treatment plans, and prevent future dental problems. It’s also worth noting that dental x-rays have come a long way in recent years. With advancements in technology, our team at True Smiles Dental Marrickville have kept up to date with the best and most safest technology, where we use digital x-rays which are now faster, more accurate, and safer than ever before as they use less radiation than traditional x-rays and provide instant results.

If you haven’t had a dental x-ray in a while, or if you have any concerns about your oral health, please don’t hesitate to contact us at True Smiles Dental Marrickville. We are here to help you achieve optimal oral health and a beautiful smile.