What are Dental
X-Rays?
Dental X-Rays are X-Rays used by dentists to examine your
mouth and teeth. These X-Rays can be
used to check for cavities, bone loss, and tissue masses, cysts, or tumors, as
well as to examine the jaw and jaw joints.
X-Rays can also be used to examine new teeth (in children, or wisdom
teeth) and tooth damage that cannot be seen just by looking in the mouth. Dental X-Rays are generally useful for
monitoring the state of your oral health,
and are good at detecting oral health issues early before they become major
problems.
What are the
different types of Dental X-Rays?
There are several different types of Dental X-Rays, each of
which focus on different parts of the mouth.
Periapical X-Rays focus on showing an entire tooth,
including the tip of the root and the surrounding bone structure.
Panoramic X-Rays give a quick overview of the whole mouth,
including the jaw and nasal area, but are not as detailed as other types.
Occlusal X-Rays are used to view either the floor or roof of
the mouth.
Bitewings are a type of X-Ray that show the tops of the
upper and lower back teeth and how they fit together. They reveal cavities between the teeth and
bone level around the back teeth.
How often should I
have Dental X-Rays?
On average, an adult patient should receive bitewing X-Rays
every 1 to 3 years. However, this
frequency is based on a variety of factors.
Younger children and teens need bitewings more frequently; children
should receive bitewings every 1 to 2 years, and teens every 1 to 3 years. Adults with a history of tooth decay are at
higher risk of continued tooth decay, and so should also receive bitewings more
frequently, with the exact frequency to be determined by your dentist. For more information, visit our website at http://www.firstwestondentist.com
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