Do I need Dental xrays - Woodcreek Family Dentistry

By Woodcreek Family Dentistry

How often X-rays should be taken depends on your

Present oral health,
Your age,
Your risk for disease, and
Any signs and symptoms of oral disease.

For example, children may require X-rays more often than adults because their teeth and jaws are still developing and their teeth are more likely to be affected by tooth decay than those of adults. Your dentist will review your history, examine your mouth and then decide whether or not you need X-rays.

If you are a new patient, the dentist may recommend X-rays to determine the present status of your oral health and have a baseline to help identify changes that may occur later.

A new set of X-rays may be needed to help your dentist detect any new cavities, determine the status of your gum health or evaluate the growth and development of your teeth. If a previous dentist has any radiographs of you, your new dentist may ask you for copies of them. Ask both dentists to help you with forwarding your X-rays.

Dental X-ray exams are safe; however, they do require very low levels of radiation exposure, which makes the risk of potentially harmful effects very small. Dental X-ray tools and techniques are designed to limit the body’s exposure to radiation and every precaution is taken to ensure that radiation exposure is As Low As Reasonable Achievable (the ALARA principle). A leaded apron and/or a leaded thyroid collar may be used to shield the abdomen and thyroid.

Are you pregnant?

Make sure to tell your dentist. During your pregnancy, you may need to have X-rays taken as part of your treatment plan for a dental disease. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, dental care, including dental X-rays, are safe during pregnancy. Use of the leaded apron and thyroid collar will protect you and your fetus from radiation exposure. Dental X-rays also do not need to be delayed if you are trying to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.

Do you have questions about dental X-rays and children?

Talk to your child’s dentist. Image Gently, a campaign designed to make conversations with dental and medical professionals easier, has developed this brochure to help answer some common questions you may have.

Source: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/x/x-rays