Dental X-Ray

/Home/Dental Care and Treatment/Dental X-Rays/Dental X-Ray Resources

This page describes dental x-rays and how they are used in a dentist office.
On this page:
* Overview
* Who is protecting you
* What can you do to protect yourself
* Resources

Overview

Approximately 100 MILLION dental x-rays are done each year in the United States. Dental x–rays provide your dentist with a vital tool that shows the condition of your teeth including roots, jaw placements, and the overall composition of your facial bones.

In a dentist's office you are most likely to encounter radiation from a diagnostic x-ray. X-rays pass more easily through the soft tissues of our bodies than through our bones and organs. After passing through our body, x-rays strike a special x-ray film, creating an image showing shadows where our bones, organs and other dense masses, like teeth, have absorbed x-rays.

Like microwaves, radio waves, and visible light, the x-rays produced by an x-ray machine are a form of electromagnetic radiation. Unlike microwaves, radio waves, and visible light, x-rays are ionizing radiation, which is capable of removing electrons from atoms and damaging living cells and the DNA of those cells. However, since x-ray machines only produce radiation during operation and the amount of radiation used is small, resulting medical problems are unlikely.

Dental x-rays are usually conducted to:

* Detect problems in the mouth such as tooth decay, damage to the bones supporting the teeth, and dental injuries (such as broken tooth roots).
* Detect teeth that are abnormally placed or don't break through the gums properly.
* Evaluate the presence and location of permanent teeth growing in the jaw of a child who still has baby teeth.
* Plan treatment for large or extensive cavities, root canal surgery, placement of dental implants, and difficult tooth removals.
* Plan for orthodontic treatment, like braces.

Please visit the web site to view the article in its entirety.