It’s natural to have reservations about exposing your kid to the radiation of X-rays. But as one of the leading dental hospitals in India, we assure you that dental X-rays expose your kid to only a fraction of the radiation amount that poses serious threats.
That said, let us help you understand why dental X-rays are essential for your kid’s teeth and oral care. After that, you can finally be relieved of all the unanswered questions regarding dental X-rays and your kid’s safety.
Dental X-rays are Diagnostic and Preventive
A routine dental examination may not disclose your kid’s buried oral disorders — those under the gums or inside the teeth. So, a dentist would recommend an X-ray if a complete clinical examination doesn’t answer specific questions about your kid’s oral health.
A dental X-ray helps detect jaw and tooth-root issues and gingivitis at their earliest stages. Without an X-ray, their symptoms might go unnoticed and later pose significant threats. Also, dental X-rays are vital in detecting developing abnormalities like abscesses and tumors.
Additionally, a dental X-ray helps monitor and facilitate natural oral health developments by providing evidence for the following:
- Whether there’s enough room for all the coming teeth
- If your child is losing primary teeth at a pace quick enough to make room for all permanent teeth
- Preliminary development of wisdom teeth or any teeth unable to emerge from the gums
A dentist is obliged to recommend an X-ray only if it’s the best step forward and necessary. If a dentist recommends an X-ray after taking the clinical examination and health history, here’s what you need to know about the X-ray technology.
About Traditional X-rays & Digital X-rays
Digital X-rays are far more efficient and accurate than traditional X-rays. With traditional film X-rays, the images are developed after a considerable lag in time. Meanwhile, digital X-rays generate instant images on computer software. These are high-resolution images and are easily altered, thus availing a dentist the best diagnosis. Also, a digital record lowers the risk of the loss of your kid’s dental history.
During a digital X-ray, the radiation exposure is reduced by as much as 90% compared to traditional X-rays. With such technological advancements, X-rays are getting safer by the minute.
Different Types Of X-rays
These are the types of X-rays that your dentist may recommend for your kid. All of them serve a particular purpose to help keep your kid’s oral health intact.
Bitewing
Bitewing X-rays are pretty safe as the radiation exposure is lower than the daily radiation exposure in today’s environment. It studies the crown of the upper and lower teeth in one area of the mouth. A bitewing X-ray helps detect decay between back teeth — a place where cavities aren’t immediately apparent.
Periapical
Here, the focus is on just one or two teeth to get an image of the entirety of your kid’s tooth — from crown to root.
Occlusal
An occlusal X-ray is used to capture the development of your kid’s entire top or bottom jaw arch. With this, a dentist can monitor how the teeth fit together when your kid bites down.
Panoramic
A panoramic X-ray provides an image of your kid’s whole mouth. They are used to monitor the condition of the existing and surfacing teeth. It also helps to determine the state of upper and lower jaws and surrounding structures.
Cephalometric
It is used in planning orthodontic treatments. A cephalometric X-ray shows an entire side of your kid’s head — placing the teeth, jaw and head, in one image.
Cone Beam Computerized Tomography (CBCT)
Unlike any other type of X-ray, CBCT generates a three-dimensional view of your kid’s mouth to map out the spacing and development of their teeth.
Dental X-rays are beneficial in the long-term care of your kid’s oral health. And it is very much recommended that kids should get a routine X-ray every 1-2 years. If, after seeing the various oral health perks of dental X-rays, you’re ready to take your kid for one, then contact us for a detailed consultation.
