At Kildaire Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, our team uses the latest in dental technology to provide you and your family with the highest quality care. Often, we rely on technology to help us diagnose and treat potential issues before they develop into severe problems. For example, dental X-rays are one of our most important diagnostic tools. Because parents often ask us if dental X-rays are necessary for their children, today we want to talk about how we use dental X-rays and why they are safe for kids!
Types of Dental X-Rays
The three types of X-rays we use most often are bitewing, periapical, and panoramic X-rays. Bitewing X-rays show upper and lower molars and bicuspids, which allows us to check for any dental decay between back teeth that is not visible to the eye. Periapical X-rays give us a closer look at one or two teeth at a time, from crown to root. Panoramic X-rays show your entire mouth and help us keep an eye on the development of your teeth and watch for any potential crowding issues.
Are Dental X-Rays Safe?
Dental X-rays expose you to a very low dose of radiation—about the same as a two-hour airplane flight. However, our staff is careful to limit the use of dental X-rays on our younger patients and only use them when necessary. Teeth X-rays are incredibly important with developing mouths as they allow us to spot and address crowding or alignment issues as soon as possible. We can also use them to check the health of the bone around the tooth and locate cavities.
While dental X-rays are just one of the many tools we use to care for you and your children’s teeth, there is no substitute for a good preventive care routine. Be sure that you and your kids are brushing your teeth in the morning and at night, flossing every day, and visiting our office for biannual cleanings and exams.
Ready to schedule a visit? Contact our office today!