Dental
x-rays are among the most common dental procedures. The reason for x-rays being
so common is that these tests provide dentists with necessary information about
the state of dental health of the patient. Furthermore, you need to get your
x-rays test done if you want your dentist to know what lies under your gums.
Here, the most common question is about the safety of dental x-rays because of
the fact that it involves radiation.
What are dental x-rays?
Dental
x-rays are basically the images which are taken to reveal the hidden anatomy of
teeth and enamel under the cover of gums. There are two types of dental x-rays.
One involves film, and another involves digital imaging. Since there are a lot
of angles through which the images can be maneuvered using digital way, digital
imaging naturally has an edge over the x-rays film.
Dental
x-rays can be intraoral as well extraoral. Extraoral x-rays provide details of
outside part of the dental structure. On the other hand, intraoral x-rays give
detailed view of the inside area of oral cavity, making is easier for the
dentists to identify certain problems and developments in the mouth.
How often one needs to get x-rays?
X-rays are
meant to diagnose dental problems. Therefore, dentists suggest x-rays when they
suspect about existence of any problem. However, dentists avoid suggesting
unnecessary x-rays because these tests involve firing of radiation. If you have
no dental issue and your dentist considers your dental health satisfactory, you
may be suggested to get x-ray test of you done once in 24 to 36 months. Thus,
the number of tests, being run in specific time duration, depends upon the
health status of the patient. Having that said, it is very important to get the
x-rays test done on time because it can really help in getting the problems
identified on time. You wouldn’t really want such problems to go undiagnosed.
Amount of radiation you would be
exposed against
One factor
due to which dental-rays haven’t been considered very safe in the past is the
amount of radiation. The x-rays which involve printing on film usually aim at
entire skull, and even the upper part of the body. This open exposure is always
thought to be very dangerous. However, the amount of radiation with digital
x-rays is drastically lower than the conventional x-rays. The matter of fact is
that the amount of radiation released by digital x-rays is even lower than what
we receive on daily basis from sun and the technical devices which emit or
receive radiation.
