Why do I need x-rays?
We use x-rays to:
We use x-rays to:
- Check for cavities between teeth, under old fillings and around crowns
- Check the bone support around teeth and evaluate gum disease.
- Look for infections/ abscesses around the roots of teeth
- Evaluate wisdom teeth
- Check for cysts, tumors and abnormalities of the teeth and jaws
Without x-rays on a routine basis, we can not properly evaluate your teeth. This could allow your problems to get larger and more expensive.
Dental x-rays are simple and very useful. Many patients are concerned about radiation exposure. We understand this concern. Check out the chart below to see how dental x-rays compare.
| Max. recommended yearly dosage for Radiation Workers | 5000 millirem |
| Mammography (breast exam) | 1000 millirem |
| Abdominal x-ray | 147 millirem |
| Upper leg x-ray | 21 millirem |
| Dental Full Mouth Series (16 x-rays) | 9 millirem |
| Dental Panoramic x-ray | 1 millirem |
| Dental bitewing x-ray | ½ millirem |
| Coast to Coast flight | 4 millirem |
You would need 2000 dental x-rays to equal the radiation from 1 mammogram or 10,000 dental x-rays to reach your yearly maximum dosage! Throughout your day you generally receive 3 bitewing x-rays worth of radiation (1.5 millirem). When you weigh this against all the conditions seen on a dental x-ray (cavities, periodontal disease, infections, cysts, cancer) it seems like a fair tradeoff.