Dental x-rays help dentists diagnose common problems such as cavities, gum disease and infections. X-rays can allow dentists to see inside teeth and also the supporting structures that surround them. Without them, diseases could go unchecked and treatment would begin later, leading to more complications such as pain and the possible loss of teeth.
The X-rays used in dental office emit extremely low doses of radiation. The dental x-rays come out of a small cone, which is well shielded, to limit the rays to a very small area. This means very little radiation exposure occurs beyond the diameter of the beam.
At Be Well Dental, we take several measures to further minimise the radiation exposure to our patients:
- Limited use of x-rays: First and foremost, we only take x-rays when we believe they are necessary for an accurate dental assessment or diagnosis.
- Digital radiography: we use modern digital x-ray systems that reduce the dose of radiation by as much as 80% compared to traditional development systems. The use of dental imaging software now allows us to be able to obtain a lot more information by being able to zoom, measure and adjust a number of parameters we couldn’t with films.
- Digital storage of x-rays also ensures they are maintained in good diagnostic quality for many years to come. This can reduce the frequency in which they may be needed and may be shared with specialists if needed.
- Film holders: At Be Well Dental, we use holders to keep the films in place to allow our dentists to take more accurate x-rays.
- We care for the environment and this is an added benefit of a digital system, being able to do away with wasteful and harmful processing chemicals used and the constant need to buy, transport and stock film.