Your oral health is an integral part of your overall health. Maintaining your oral health involves an at home daily oral care routine, in addition to routine dental visits. You may need to get an X-ray at your regular dental visits or if you come into the office with a dental issue. Below you will find the importance of dental X-rays and why they are a necessary part of your oral health care. Let’s see the importance of dental x-rays.
Importance of Dental X-Rays
Dentists perform a physical examination of your teeth to determine how healthy they are, in addition to if there are any issues. This is an important step but a physical examination doesn’t always provide the full picture. This is why a dentist will take an X-ray of your teeth as it can help give them clear pictures of what is happening under the surface. X-rays are highly important as they allow your dentist to see issues that impact the roots of your teeth, your jaw placement, and facial bone composition. In addition, the information from the X-ray can inform your dentist of the issues so they can provide effective treatment options.
Dental X-rays in San Bernardino can show a number of dental issues. Small areas of decay between your teeth or between your fillings, tumors, cysts, bone loss, abscesses, and the position of your teeth. Getting a closer look at these dental issues can help your dentist determine the best course of action. X-rays can also effectively monitor your progress throughout any treatment you undergo due to a dental issue.
X-Rays and Your Oral Health
There are a few different types of X-rays including bitewing, periapical, and panoramic. These are the most common and each provide information that your dentist can use to address your oral health issues. Bitewing X-rays are used to detect the early signs of decay found on your back teeth. Periapical X-rays focus on just one or two teeth. Panoramic X-ray shows your entire mouth in just one X-ray image.
The type you need will depend on exactly what your dentist wants to get a closer look at. The frequency in which you need to get X-rays depends on your unique oral health needs. If you don’t have a history of oral health issues and there is no indication of an issue, you may only need to get them once a year. However, oral health issues may require that you get more X-rays as your dentist will want to track your progress throughout treatment.
X-Ray Safety
Dental X-rays are safe and highly effective when it comes to your oral health. Many people have major concerns about their exposure to radiation during X-rays. However, added protection is used at dental offices to ensure your exposure is low. A leaded apron is provided to be sure that your exposure is extremely low. Additionally, an X-ray can provide so much when it comes to your dental health so it’s important to understand the cost-benefit analysis of the two. The risk of exposure during an X-ray is little to nothing. However, dental issues can not only cause oral health issues but also issues with your overall health.
Oral Surgeon in San Bernardino
The team at Dream Smile have helped countless patients restore and maintain their oral health. If you need dentistry services they offer general, cosmetic, emergency, and restorative dentistry services. If you need more invasive dental treatment, Dream Smile has the top oral surgeon in San Bernardino. If you haven’t been to the dentist recently, now is a great time to set up an appointment. Contact Dream Smile today to set up an appointment!
