Importance of Dental X-rays

Dental x-rays provide valuable information that helps your dentist evaluate your overall oral health. With the help of x-rays, your dentist can see what is happening beneath the surface of the teeth & gums, which is just as important as the surface.

How often should x-rays be taken?

How often x-rays should be taken depends on the patient’s present oral health, age, risk of disease & any oral issues the patient may be experiencing.

Children for example, may need x-rays more frequently than adults, as their teeth & jaws are still developing. Also, their teeth are more likely to be affected by tooth decay than those of adults.

The benefits of x-rays

X-rays are beneficial to both the patient & the dentist as they can help reveal many oral issues such as:

• Small areas of decay between the teeth or below existing restorations (fillings, crowns, etc.)
• Infections in the bone
• Gum (periodontal) disease
• Abscesses & other abnormalities

Deer Valley Dental Care uses computerized digital x-rays to ensure top quality images and to reduce radiation exposure to 1/10^th of what was used five years ago.

Finding & treating dental problems at an early stage can save time, money & unnecessary discomfort. X-rays are a great way to help your dentist detect problems in your mouth that would otherwise be unseen on the surface, so it is important to have x-rays taken at least once a year at your regular check-up.

Clair C