Dental X-Rays are pictures of the teeth, bones, and soft tissues around them to help find problems not visible to the naked eye.
Your Dental X-Ray Can Tell Us If You Have:
- Cavities
- Hidden dental structures (such as wisdom teeth)
- Cysts or abscesses
- Cancerous or non-cancerous tumors
- Decay between your teeth
- Poor tooth and root positions
- Bone loss
- Problems inside a tooth or below the gum line
Dental X-rays may also be done as follow-up after dental treatments.
Types Of X-Rays:
- Bitewing:
These X-rays show the upper and lower back teeth in a single view. These X-rays are used to check for decay between the teeth and to show how well the upper and lower teeth line up. They also show bone loss when severe gum disease or a dental infection is present.
- Panoramic:
These X-rays show a broad view of the jaws, teeth, sinuses, nasal area, and temporomandibular (jaw) joints. They show problems such as impacted teeth, bone abnormalities, cysts, solid growths (tumors), infections, and fractures.
- Periapical:
The periapical X-Ray shows the entire tooth- from the exposed crown to the end of the root and the bones that support the tooth. They are used to find dental problems that are located bellow the gum line or in the jaw, such as impacted teeth, abscesses, cysts, tumors, and bone changes linked to diseases.
- Occlusal:
These X-rays show the roof or floor of the mouth. They are used to find extra teeth, teeth that have not yet broken through the gums, jaw fractures, a cleft in the roof of the mouth (cleft palate), cysts, abscesses, or growths. Occlusal X-rays may also be used to find a foreign object.
A full mouth X-Rays (about to 14 to 21 films) is the most often done during a person’s visit to the dentist. Bitewings are used during checkups to look for tooth decay.
X-Rays are scheduled based on when you need them, taking in account your age and signs of disease.
The Process:
Dental X-rays are taken in the dentist’s office.
- Your dentist will tell you if you need to take out any jewelry or piercings that may get in the way of the X-ray image.
- A dental technician will cover you with a heavy lead apron as you sit upright in a chair. This apron shields your body from X-rays. The technician can cover your neck with the collar of the apron (called a thyroid shield) to shield the thyroid gland from radiation.
- Everyone else in the room wears a protective apron or stays behind a protective shield.
- The dental technician will have you bite down on a small piece of cardboard or plastic. The cardboard or plastic holds X-ray film. You may do this several times to get pictures of all your teeth. Some X-ray machines have a camera that circles your head and takes pictures of your teeth while you sit or stand.
- You may want to rinse your mouth before and after the X-rays.
Some dentists use digital radiography. This method uses an electronic sensor instead of X-ray film. An electronic image is taken and stored in a computer. This image can be viewed on a computer screen. Less radiation is needed to make an image with digital radiography than with standard dental X-rays.
Still have questions? Feel free to contact us for more information.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Office Text: 813-624-5036
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Office Text: 813-624-5036
Or find us on Facebook or Instagram
Instagram: @mydentaltampa
