Healthy teeth and beautiful smiles are the result of proper nutrition and excellent oral health. And in order to maintain this health and keep oral diseases at bay, regular dental exams and checkups are necessary. One way to detect abnormalities in the teeth is by going for a dental X-ray.
At George Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we offer effective dental X-rays in Hermitage, TN, to help you detect dental issues early, get treatment at the right time, and improve your dental health. We utilize quality X-ray procedures to ensure your dental and oral health is in optimal state and help you determine when you should get prompt treatment.
Our dentists in Hermitage, Dr. Brian George, and Dr. Ashley Roark are experts in performing digital X-rays in detecting dental problems, treating them, and giving you the enhanced oral health you deserve. Keep reading and let’s learn about what dental X-ray is.
What Is a Dental X-Ray?
An X-ray is a radiation in the form of electromagnetic waves. These waves are used to create images of whatever they pass through. In dentistry, X-rays are used in oral examinations to detect abnormalities like cavities or gum disease, tooth decay, and other dental issues. This is referred to as dental X-rays. Dental X-rays ensure the patient commences treatment before the case worsens.
Dental X-rays utilize rays that pass through the soft tissues in the mouth to reveal a detailed picture of your dentition using either film or modern/digital X-rays methods. We offer dental X-rays in Hermitage to help you detect the slightest of dental and oral issues, hence, providing you with quick and effective treatment.
How Does a Dental X-Ray Work?
X-rays became popular in the early 1900s using radiation beams and a film made from a polyester and gelatin-based coating like the type used in cameras. This film also had a coating of photosensitive silver halide crystals on both surfaces, allowing it to reflect images of where the radiation beam passes.
And while the film is very efficient, the modern X-ray system made of a radiation-sensitive emulsion of silver halide grains has proven to be quite the innovation. Modern/digital X-rays are safer, even more efficient than film X-rays at producing patient diagnostic images, and cheaper than the cost of using film.
But X-rays, whether the modern or the film method, are based on the same principle of having electromagnetic radiation pass through soft tissues in the mouth to capture images of the bones and teeth. These X-ray images are known as radiographs.
The X-ray beam captures images of your teeth and jaws on a film or digital sensor inside (intraoral) or outside (extraoral) the mouth. This is because the energy of the X-ray beam enables it to pass through soft, and less dense parts of the body. But some parts of our bodies absorb X-rays, due to the calcium found in our bones and teeth and they appear as white images in the radiographs.
What Is the Importance of Dental X-Ray?
Suppose you have been experiencing pain in your teeth and mouth and you want to go in for a dental checkup, you should remember that your dentist may be unable to give you a final diagnosis based on visual examination alone. Further tests like a digital X-ray will have to be carried out to help detect any disease or problem that isn’t visible to the eyes.
With a dental examination, your dentist has more information to work with concerning your oral health. And with these details, the condition of your gum, teeth, jaw bones, and root canals can be observed. Any abnormalities or disease detected will be treated before it develops into something more serious.
We offer digital X-rays in Hermitage to help you detect complicated dental issues with ease, determine quick and effective treatment, and enjoy improved oral and overall health.
What Are the Different Types of Dental X-Rays?
Our dentists can detect the slightest dental problems before they arise and will identify any existing abnormalities by performing adequate dental X-rays and imaging. Using different dental X-rays makes the process more accessible, and images of every part of your mouth can be captured.
It is essential to understand the different types of dental X-rays, as this will help you prepare for your next X-ray appointment.
Bitewing X-ray
In Bitewing X-rays, you must bite down on an X-ray film and it will only reveal as far as the gum line, not extending to the root canals. The Bitewing X-rays allow dentists to see the upper and lower teeth in one area of the mouth, mainly from the front, making for better diagnosis of decay and detection of periodontal diseases. We provide this type of dental X-ray near Hermitage to help you discover problems in your teeth or gums and get them treated.
Occlusal X-rays
Occlusal X-rays check the floor and or roof of the mouth to diagnose any fractured or impacted tooth. The occlusal X-rays images will also show abscesses, find out why teeth haven’t erupted, and spot an emerging extra tooth, cysts, and fractures in the jaw that would damage the patient’s dentition. You should visit our dental office in Hermitage to get occlusal X-rays and detect any issues with your teeth.
Panoramic X-rays
Panoramic dental X-ray is done using a machine that takes a 2-D image of the entire upper and lower teeth. From this 2-D image, another 3-D image of your mouth is produced, allowing your dentist to view your mouth and dentition from every angle.
Panoramic dental X-rays and imaging are usually recommended to ensure you have no lingering or new dental problems. Dentists also use panoramic dental X-ray before any major procedure, like installing braces, to get a proper view of the teeth. Our dental office in Hermitage offers panoramic X-rays to help detect your dental problems and get adequate treatment.
Cephalometric Projection
A cephalometric dental X-ray is performed on one side of the head, either left or right. This dental X-ray aims to see how the jawbones and teeth fit, as this will help the dentist create a treatment suitable for the entire mouth.
Our dentists provide dental X-rays near Hermitage to make sure you not only have good dentition but also fewer chances of developing throat complications like cancer and sleep apnea.
Are Dental X-Ray Safe?
Dental X-rays are very safe; research has shown that the chances of a dental X-ray procedure increasing a patient’s cancer risk are very low. Especially if they are performed by professionals and all safety precautions involved in dental X-rays and imagery are observed.
The patients must wear a lead apron during the procedure to minimize their exposure to the radiation used. And since the X-ray only focuses on the mouth, your dentist will ensure that other body parts are well protected.
How Much Radiation Is in a Dental X-Ray?
Quantifying how much radiation in a dental X-ray is possible, and learning how much radiation in a dental X-ray procedure is not wasted knowledge.
In dental X-rays and imaging, the amount of radiation differs depending on which X-ray method is used. For example, in the dental X-ray, 0.005 mSv is the required radiation used, no more, no less. In panoramic X-ray it is 0.025 mSv, and in occlusal X-rays is 0.009 mSv.
Can I Get a Dental X-Ray While Pregnant?
A lot of restrictions come with pregnancy to ensure the health and well-being of the mother and unborn baby, so the question, “Can I get a dental X-ray while pregnant?” is often asked in the dentist’s office. The good news is, yes, you can undergo a dental X-ray while pregnant, and they are safe for both the mother and child.
Learning how much radiation is in a dental X-ray for pregnant women is also significant; however, it is pretty low and has been proven not to cause any harm to the baby or its mother.
The woman would also be given a protective covering long enough to cover the abdomen to shield the baby from the radiation to put on during the procedure dental X-rays for safety measures.
Quick and Effective Dental X-Ray in Hermitage, TN
Getting preventive dental procedures like professional cleaning, oral screening, and dental X-ray examinations are important to ensure proper oral health.
At George Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we offer dental X-rays in Hermitage, TN, to help you detect dental issues, treat them, and improve your dental health. Our digital X-ray services come as a part of our preventive treatment and we also offer cosmetic, restorative, and sedation dentistry as part of our services as well.
Our dentists are also adequately trained and can handle your X-ray procedure without exposing you to radiation. We provide digital X-rays in Hermitage to help you run dental scans, detect, and treat dental complications, so you don’t have to worry about delayed appointments.
Like any other visit to the dentist, getting a dental X-ray should not be a fearsome procedure if you understand how it works and the long-term benefits it has on oral health.
Do you need to get dental X-rays near Hermitage? Contact us to schedule an appointment at our dental for your dental X-rays.
