X-Rays
X-rays are used to diagnose between teeth cavities, periodontal disease, abscesses, abnormalities of teeth and jaw, developmental abnormalities, and other conditions, including some medical conditions. The most common diagnoses are cavities and periodontal disease.
At our office, we use a risk assessment for determining the need for x-rays. We do not tell a patient he or she is “due" for x rays based on a set policy. You may be at a high, medium, or low risk for dental problems, based on your family dental history, your personal habits regarding flossing and brushing, past history of periodontal disease or between teeth cavities, and your diet habits as related to dental disease. Our risk assessment is based on guidelines developed by a task force of government and private agencies.
Cavities that develop between back teeth are generally impossible to diagnose without x-rays, unless they are so large that the tooth is severely undermined. Other conditions such as periodontal disease or abscesses may display symptoms that show up without x-rays, but x-ray examination may be required to confirm the diagnosis.
Patients at high risk for between teeth cavities or periodontal disease generally require bitewing x-rays once a year until risk factors are lowered.
Patients with specific developmental or medical conditions may need a panoramic x-ray every three years or as conditions warrant to diagnose or monitor condition.
High Risk For Between Teeth Cavities
- Patient does not floss regularly
- Patient drinks sweetened beverages, including coffee or tea, or diet soda, regularly.
- Patient consumes hard candy, breath mints, or cough drops regularly
- Patient has history of between teeth cavities
- Patient is taking medications leading to dry mouth syndrome.
High Risk For Periodontal Disease
- Strong family history of periodontal disease
- Spouse has periodontal condition
- Patient has previously diagnosed problem areas
- Patient previously treated for periodontal disease
High Risk for Developmental or Medical Problems
- Wisdom teeth unerupted (teen-age years through adult)
- Impacted wisdom teeth present; need monitoring for cyst development
- Generalized periodontal disease
- TMJ symptoms
- Risk factor for stroke present - this includes high blood pressure, family history, weight, periodontal disease. (A panoramic X-ray may show plaque in carotid artery, a precursor for stroke. Also, periodontal disease increases risk for stroke)
With this risk assessment, you can be assured that any x-rays taken are necessary to diagnose a condition for which you have a high risk. You can reduce your need for x-rays by reducing your risk factors in many cases - such as by changing your diet habits, reducing sugar intake, and flossing every day.
Even if you are at high risk, our x-ray system is state of the art, with the lowest radiation possible in a dental office. Our digital x-rays use one tenth of the radiation in a traditional x-ray, and we use cone columniation to prevent scatter of the x ray beam, additionally reducing radiation levels by fifty percent. You would have to have twenty x-rays taken in this office to equal the radiation dosage of a single x-ray taken with traditional film x-ray methods without cone columniation. Of course, we also use lead shields to protect you.
