Why Routine Dental X-Rays Are Essential
Thanks to a vast array of specialised equipment like dental intra-oral cameras, mouth mirrors and magnification, your dentist or hygienist can see a lot of detail inside your mouth quite clearly. Yet there are many parts of your mouth which are invisible.
Some of the hidden areas inside your mouth are under fillings, between the teeth, the area deep inside tooth grooves, below the gums and inside the jawbone. These areas are not visible in any way and can't be examined using magnification, light or probing.
In order to properly inspect these areas, the dentist or hygienist uses dental x-rays. These can be helpful in revealing quite a lot of information about the hidden areas of your mouth. The dentist is now aware of the extent of
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Those who have a family history of tooth loss and gum disease need to have regular check-ups done in order to diagnose and monitor their disease. While the dentist and hygienist will examine the gums using a periodontal (gum) probe to record certain details, only with xrays will they have a complete picture of the status of the gums and the progression of the gum disease.
Professional Dental Associations have established the convention to take x-rays once every two years or even more often if a patient's dental history suggests they are experiencing a high rate of decay or gum disease. Some x-rays like the 'panoramic film' are taken only once in 3 to 5 years- these monitor teeth development and eruption (important for orthodontics), the presence and amount of impaction of wisdom teeth, and the presence of pathology within the jaw bones.
Dental x-rays are an essential diagnostic tool that your dentist and hygienist will recommend for people of all ages. If you have any questions about the use of dental x-rays, or the frequency of their use, be sure to ask any member of your dental team.
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Not the type of physical exam you would usually get where the doctor draws blood in or checks your abdominal area. This type of physical exam mainly consists of checking your entire mouth. The hygienist uses a small mirror and a dental probe or explorer to check around your teeth and gums to make sure there is no sign of decay. They also check for signs of gingivitis (inflammation of the gums,) periodontal disease (disease of the gums,) and/or oral cancer. Prior to getting this done, the hygienist goes over your medical history, taking notes about any heart problems, diabetes, past surgeries, and medications, that may impact your oral health. After the hygienists do all of this, she/he may proceed to the second step.
Screening measures include oral cancer screening and periodontal charting. Some dental hygienists also check blood pressure and pulse. If needed, they will take x-rays before beginning the routine cleaning, which involves scaling and polishing the teeth. A patient that displays periodontal disease, however, may need a deep cleaning, called scaling and root planning. Once the cleaning is complete, the dental hygienist will give instruction on how the patient can correctly care for problems in their oral health.
All of our X-rays are digital, using 90 percent less radiation to get an even more accurate image of your mouth. And we use ViziLite Plus, which uses ultraviolet light to help detect signs of oral cancer.
PA X-rays provide a visual of assessment of tooth and supporting bone structure, detect abnormalities in an area of teeth from the crown to where the root is anchored to the jaw. This is performed to find abnormalities in root structure and surrounding bone.
Dental hygienists play an important role in the dental care facilities since they apply their knowledge on every case by removing tartar, stains, and plaque from teeth. They are in charge of applying sealants and fluorides to the teeth in order to protect them, they take and develop x-rays which helps them determine the patient 's vocal health and then present all this information through a report for the dentists to see. Once they have documented the patient 's care, they begin a treatment plan for each patient. They also educate their patients about the oral health and techniques they should apply and how to brush and floss the teeth accurately. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016-17, p.2) Dental hygienists apply critical thinking, compassion towards their patients, interpersonal skills, and dexterity while on their jobs and are supposed to be very detail oriented since they work on small parts of the body and need precise use of the tolls. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016-17, p.4).
As with any dental procedure, Dr. Thomas Peltzer will want to initially conduct a thorough examination of the wisdom and surrounding teeth. Panoramic or digital x-rays will be taken in order for Dr. Peltzer to evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth and determine if a current problem exists, or the likelihood of any potential future problems. The x-rays can also expose additional risk factors, such as deterioration or decay of nearby teeth. Early evaluation and treatment (typically in the mid-teen years) is recommended in order to identify potential problems and to improve the results for patients requiring wisdom teeth extractions. Only after a thorough examination can Dr. Peltzer provide you with the best options
First, X-rays. There are two main types of dental X-rays: intraoral and extraoral. Intraoral being inside the mouth, and extraoral being outside. Intraoral X-rays are the most common type of dental X-ray taken. These X-rays provide a lot of detail and allow dentists to find cavities, check the health of the tooth root and bone surrounding the tooth, check the status of developing teeth, and monitor the general health of your teeth and jawbone. Extraoral X-rays show teeth, but their main focus is the jaw and skull.
Dental radiographs (x-rays) are vital, preventive, diagnostic methods that offer valuable information not visible during a typical dental exam. Dental practitioners and dental care hygienists use this information to safely and accurately discover concealed dentistry irregularities as well as complete an accurate plan for treatment. With no x-rays, trouble areas may well go undetected.
Panoramic X-Ray: These 2D X-rays give a flat but complete view of your teeth. At Donaldson 3D Orthodontics, we use advanced digital tools to create a 3D panoramic image of your teeth, giving us not just a look at your teeth but also at their positions.
Computed tomography scans are used very often in dental settings. They can show things like “impacted teeth and evaluations [sic] of their relations with adjacent teeth.” (Shim et al. 333). There are multiple different views of CT scans that doctors can use for dental scans. There are also multiple uses for the scans. Orthodontists might use the scan to track the progression with the use of braces on a patient. For example regular dentistry can use the scans to determine when the right time to take out a patients wisdom teeth is. There are specific views that are more effective for dental work like
Dental x-rays can tell the dentist everything from decay on a tooth, to bone loss. Which is important especially in pregnant women because nearly 40% of pregnant woman have some type of periodontal disease. This is because when you become pregnant many things are happening to your body, and many changes are happening, one of those changes happen to be going on in your gums, causing the percentage to be higher among pregnant women versus women who are not pregnant. This percentage also goes up if you are a smoker,because smoking weaken the immune system. It is increased if you are African American, because of genetics. It is also increased if you have poor dental coverage, because you are less likely to go to the dentist if you dont have dental coverage or if your dental coverage isn’t the best.. If you chose to not get the x-ray, the dentist will most likely not treat you as they are not able to accurately diagnose a problem without an
There are many advantages of x-rays in dental radiation. We can use the x-rays to detect and confirm any diseases or lesions that may be in the mouth. They detect any trauma that may have happened to the teeth and or gums. We use x-rays to look and study the growth and development of teeth and gums in children and adults. With the advancement of the x-ray we can also detect any tumors, teeth that are missing or are coming in at an abnormal direction as well as educating the patients about their mouth and teeth.
The article Panoramic Dental X-Rays states that “This examination is also used to plan treatment for full and partial dentures, braces, extractions and implants” (American Dental Association par. 5). In other words, taking radiographs are a huge part in properly diagnosing a treatment plan. Radiographs provide solid evidence on what is really going on besides just looking in the mouth visually. The radiographs would be a stepping stone in seeking the correct treatment plan. In the book Dental Assisting Comprehensive Approach, the author states “Bitewing radiographs, usually taken only on the posterior teeth, are used to detect caries, faulty restorations, calculus, and to examine the crestal area of the alveolar bone” (Donna J. Phinney and Judy H. Halstead 435). Essentially, dental radiographs are highly valuable as they are needed to detect certain things in the mouth. Caries, or cavities, can be shown on a bitewing radiograph. They are necessary in showing how deep the cavity is and its exact location. Radiographs would then be used to determine how the cavity would be restored, or treated. According to the article When to send X-Rays, Delta Dental explains “...supporting documentation such as x-rays or charts help us determine if treatment is covered under the patient's benefit plan”(Delta Dental par.1). In other words, radiographs are also essential to provide evidence for the patient’s
Since the inception of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948, regular six monthly check ups at the general dental practice have been common (REF). However the patient should not have radiographs taken routinely based solely because of time elapsed since previous examination. X-rays should only be taken after a thorough clinical examination and would be justified after a caries risk assessment was undertaken with the patient categorised as being high, moderate or low caries risk (REF).
Besides staying clear of unhealthy consumption of tobacco and alcohol, it is very important to have an oral examination at least once a year, to catch any newly developed lesions that may have gone unnoticed. The dentist will look for any abnormal lumps and sores and red or white patches. Survival rates are higher when cancerous cells are found at early stages (Cutter). Unfortunately, most oral cancers are not discovered early enough. Once the dentist examines the mouth, the dental hygienist, who cleans the teeth, has the opportunity to re-examine the mouth. It is the hygienist's duty to notice any peculiar areas in the mouth and bring them to the attention of the dentist. Having both the dentist and hygienist examine the mouth adds a cautionary step in the process of oral examination.