The goal of any dental professional is to catch small problems early. Dental X-rays are one of the tools we use to accomplish this. X-rays allow us to view structures and abnormalities that are otherwise not visible to the naked eye such has between the teeth or hidden under the gums or in bone. Many of the conditions we are able to identify through dental radiographs may otherwise go unnoticed until very advanced.
X-rays can help check for tooth development issues, periodontal disease, infection, cysts, tumors and some forms of cancer.
How often x-rays are taken depends on your present oral health, age, and your risk for disease. Each patient is assessed on a case by case basis to tailor the number and frequency of radiographs. This allows us to maximize their benefits while minimizing the risk to you as our patient. Furthermore recent advances with digital radiographs have allowed us to increase the safety to you.