Are radiographs (x-ray examinations) really necessary?  That is a good question and one that needs to be answered and understood if you are every going to have radiographs taken.  Radiographic examinations provide your dentist with an important tool that shows the condition of your teeth, its roots, jaw placement and the overall composition of your facial bones.  Radiographs help your dentist determine the presence or degree of periodontal disease, abscesses and many abnormal growths, such as cysts and tumors.  They can pinpoint the location of cavities and other signs of disease that may not be possible to detect through a visual examination.  I explain to my patients that trying to do an examination without radiographs is like trying to examine their mouth without my glasses.  It limits me on my ability to see concerns.

Do I need to have radiographs taken every time I see the dentist?

No, the need for radiographs is based on the dentist’s assessment of your individual needs.  New patients typically require a full mouth set of radiographs and a panoramic x-ray.  Depending on your individual needs this can range from seven to twenty-one individual small films.  After a patient is established, the dentist will determine how often they need to have them taken based on the patient’s own oral condition.  After the initial examination a “check-up” series is typically taken every year.  Patients with a low decay rate may require films only once every two years to maintain their health.

What is a "panoramic radiograph?

Just as a panoramic photograph allows you to see a broad view such as the Grand Canyon, a panoramic radiograph allows your dentist to see the entire structure of your mouth in a single image.  Within one large film, panoramic X-rays reveal all of your upper and lower teeth and parts of your jaw.  The panoramic X-ray will give your dentist a general and comprehensive view of your entire mouth and show structures such as the sinuses, nasal structure and the temporomandibular joints.  It is ideal for visualizing tumors, cysts and other abnormalities in the jaws.  In contrast, the smaller individual radiographs cannot show these large images, but are a more highly-detailed view that allows your dentist to see decay between the teeth.  X-rays are not prescribed indiscriminately.  Your dentist has a need for the different information that each radiograph can provide to formulate a diagnosis.

Should I be concerned about exposure to radiation?

All health care providers are sensitive to patients' concerns about exposure to radiation.  Your dentist has been trained to prescribe radiographs when they are appropriate and to tailor radiographic schedules to each patient's individual needs.  By using state-of-the-art technology and staying knowledgeable about recent advances, your dentist knows which techniques, procedures and X-ray films can minimize your exposure to radiation.  Digital radiography is wonderful.  We now can take radiographs that instantly appear as an image on the computer monitor.  Not only is it easier to diagnose decay because the image is so much larger, it also requires only 10-15% of the radiation needed for a conventional x-ray!  Digital radiography is a technology that I wouldn’t want to give up in my office.

Patients are concerned about radiation, but when used properly the benefit far outweighs the risk.  Feel free to ask your dentist how often he/she feels radiographs are appropriate for you.