We use digital dental X-rays instead of the standard X-ray film. These provide us with instant results and easy electronic storage, but the greatest benefit is they reduce the amount of radiation over traditional X-rays by about 80%.
We use dental X-rays to:
- Find cavities in your teeth
- Look at the tooth roots to ensure they are healthy
- Check the bone health of areas around your teeth
- Look at developing teeth
- Compare changes in your teeth
- Whether we take dental X-rays at your cleaning appointment often depends on your oral health. Some people may need X-rays more frequently than others, including:
Children and teens – We take X-rays more frequently if children have a history of many cavities or are at a high risk of decay. We also use X-rays to track tooth development.
Adults with many fillings, crowns, and other restorations – X-rays can help Dr. Murphy find cavities that may be lurking beneath your fillings or crowns or in places that are hard to see because of restorations.
People with periodontal disease – X-rays can reveal signs of bone loss that put you in danger of losing your teeth.
People with dry mouth – Saliva helps keep your mouth healthy by regulating the pH levels. If your mouth is dry, the pH decreases, which causes the minerals in your teeth to break down and leads to more cavities.
Smokers – Smoking increases the risk of periodontal disease, which increases the risk of bone loss around the teeth