Dental Radiography
Dental
radiography is a part of dentistry used for precise diagnosis of conditions for
improving the treatment plan and cure
X-rays, also known as radiographs, are an essential part of any dental care treatment plan. They are diagnostic, but they can also be preventative, by helping a dentist diagnose potential oral care issues in a patient’s mouth before they become a major problem. An x-ray is a type of energy that passes through soft tissues and is absorbed by dense tissue. Teeth and bone are very dense, so they absorb X-rays, while X-rays pass more easily through gums and cheeks.
X-rays are divided into two main categories, intraoral and extraoral. Intraoral is an X-ray that is taken inside the mouth. An extraoral X-ray is taken outside of the mouth.
Intraoral X-rays are the most common type of radiograph taken in dentistry. They give a high level of detail of the tooth, bone and supporting tissues of the mouth. These X-rays allow dentists to:
-Find cavities
-Look at the tooth roots
-Check the health of the bony area around the tooth
-Determine if periodontal disease is an oral care issue
-See the status of developing teeth
-Otherwise, monitor good tooth health through prevention
The dental x-rays that are used the most in our office are:
Orthopantomogram
We use the orthopantomogram to visualize both jaws with all the teeth in them as well as the patients bone, surrounding tissue, the position of the maxillary sinus, mandibular nerve canal and the temporomandibular joints. Before starting any type of dental treatment the patient is required to do an orthopantomogram x-ray so that the dentist can have the required information about the patients oral health. It is recommended that patients make orthopantomograms once in every year or two.
Retroalveolar X-rays
These so called “small” x-rays are the most common type of x-rays done in the dental office. The dentists use them in diagnostic purposes as well as during or post treatment.
Cephalogram
This is a type of extraoral x-ray image, which is very common in our office and used for diagnostic purposes in orthodontics. With this x-ray orthodontists measure the relationship between the both jaws as well as the relation between the jaws and the cranial base of the patient.
Orthopantomogram
Before the x-ray imaging you need to inform your dentist if you have any medical condition, if you are on a regular medical therapy or if you have ongoing pregnancy. The nurse or doctor will remind you that you need to remove all your metal accessorize and jewelry from your head and neck as well. This is important because they might give certain shadows and damage the final x-ray, meaning that you will need to repeat the process. The nurse will also cover you with a heavy lead apron to protect your body from the radiation.
Children under the age of 7, may be accompanied by their parent during the x-ray imaging. It is important to emphasize that in our clinic we are using latest generation digital x-rays that emit the lowest quantity of x-rays, which makes them safe for usage.
After you are correctly positioned by the dental nurse or the dentist, you will be asked to not move and stay in that position for about 20-30 seconds, during which the x-ray machine will perform the x-ray.
It is perfectly safe for a breastfeeding mom to get any kind of X-ray, including dental X-rays.
Retrolaveolar (Local) X-rays
These “small” x-rays are performed very often, before, during and after conservative, root canal as well as surgical treatments. They produce minimal almost none radiation and are indicated quite often. During the procedure a sensor is placed inside the mouth, behind the tooth that should be filmed, and the patient is asked to hold the sensor steady. With the other hand the patient is holding the radiographic tube and the whole process lasts 3 seconds.
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