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Dental x-rays are one of the most important tools we have to help people avoid
serious dental problems because they let us detect problems while they are still
small- before they are even visible to the naked eye - before serious conditions develop.
In addition, they are also very safe for the patient.
Dental
X-rays can save lives
To emphasize the safety of dental x-rays, I quote from an article by Drs.
Truhlar, Morris and Ochi in the Journal of Implant Dentistry Vol 2 No. 21993. "The calculated risk of
cancer to a patient from a Panoramic x-ray or series of cavity detecting x-rays
is less than one in a million. To lend perspective on the relative risk of one
in a million, compare to the following activities that are estimated to have a
one in a million risk of causing your death."
(1) 20 minutes as a 60-year-old-man (natural death),
(2) 2 months in Denver (cosmic radiation),
(3) 10 miles by bicycle (accident),
(4) 300 mile by car (accident),
(5) 10 days of typical factory work (accident)
(6) 1 cigarette (chemical carcinogen), and
(7) 500 ml of wine (alcohol).
Now that you realize how safe dental
x rays are, here are 25 important reasons why you should have regular dental
x-rays.
l. To determine the presence of hidden decay
2. To determine the presence of dental abscess
3. To determine the presence of cysts
4. To determine the presence of tumors
(benign or malignant)
5. To determine whether to remove primary teeth
6. To determine if complete complement of
permanent teeth is present
7. To determine condition of root canal filled teeth
8. To determine condition of deep restorations
9. To determine if decay present in abnormal areas
10. To determine condition of supporting bone
11. To determine presence of impacted teeth
12. To determine if extra (supernumerary)
teeth are present
13. To determine depth of periodontal abscess
14. To determine strength of teeth for support
for fixed bridge
15. To determine amount of bone destruction
in periodontal disease
16. To determine presence of ill-fitting restorations
17. To determine reasons for pressure sensitivity
18. To determine presence of fractured roots
19. To determine location of abscess in
multi-rooted teeth
20. To determine presence of foreign bodies
21. To locate fistula track
22. To examine bridge field
23. To locate hidden calculus
24. To observe root involvement with sinuses
25. To determine presence of abnormally
shaped roots
"A healthy mouth can extend human life
10 years." Dr. Charles Mayo
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More on Low
Dose X-Rays
For this reason, we have added the
digital x-ray and the laser caries detector, the
Diagnodent, to our practice's diagnostic aids.
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