How Often are Dental X-Rays Needed? 

A standard part of your routine dental visits involves getting an updated dental X-ray. X-rays are an important part of your dental care because they give dentists a clear picture of your mouth that is otherwise hard to see with the naked eye. This is why we encourage dental X-rays at Stonebrook Family Dental. 

What are Dental X-rays? 

One of the most helpful tools we have here at the dentist is dental X-rays. Dental X-rays allow us to get a full view of the mouth in a clear way. That way we can spot trouble early on that could be affecting your mouth, teeth, gums, and jaw. 

The Cleveland Clinic explains that getting an X-ray at the dentist’s office shows the dental team a lot. They allow us to see your teeth, roots, jaw placement, and facial bone composition. Since we can see all of this through an X-ray, we can identify and treat problems early in their development. 

X-rays are a form of energy that can travel through or be absorbed by solid objects. This energy is absorbed by dense objects, such as teeth and bones. This energy shows up in X-rays as light-colored areas. X-rays pass through less dense objects, like your gums and cheeks, and appear as dark areas on the film. 

Dental X-rays help find issues in your mouth that can’t be easily seen by the naked eye during a traditional exam. By finding and treating problems early on, you can save money and more extensive pain and treatments later on in life. 

How Often is a Dental X-Ray Needed? 

The number of X-rays you need is dependent on your current oral health condition, along with your dental history. For some people, X-rays are only needed every couple of years. If you’re a new patient, an X-ray will be part of the initial exam.

People who fall into a high-risk category may need X-rays more frequently than mentioned above. Those people are: 

• Children, who normally need more X-rays than adults since their teeth and jaws are still developing. Since their teeth are also smaller, decay can more easily reach the inner part of the tooth and spread quickly. 
• Adults who have had extensive restorative work. Those who have had fillings need more X-rays to look for decay beneath existing fillings or in new locations.
• People who drink sugary, acidic beverages. These beverages create an environment in the mouth that easily allows a perfect situation for cavities to develop. 
• Those with gum disease need X-rays to monitor bone loss. 
• People who have dry mouths, whether tied to medication or disease, need X-rays to monitor the development of cavities.
• Smokers, who are more at risk for developing gum disease. 

Dental X-Ray Options at Stonebrook Family Dental 

At Stonebrook Family Dental, we offer two different types of technology that gives us a more accurate look at the health of your mouth. We use the:

• Intraoral camera. One of the most helpful tools in the dental office is the intramural camera. These cameras are used to examine sectors of the teeth and mouth that are otherwise difficult to visualize. Today, these images are sharp and detailed that allow us to better treat you. Additionally, we’re able to show you these images to help you better understand your oral health — all in vivid color. 
• NOMAD Handheld X-ray Device. This device helps us diagnose your oral health needs more accurately with high resolution images — all with up to 90% less radiation exposure than conventional X-rays. 

Using both of these devices at Stonebrook Family Dental, we are able to fully look at your mouth. With the X-rays we can look inside the teeth and beneath the gums and jawbone. The intramural camera also displays the condition of the outer enamel and soft tissues of the tongue, mouth, and gums. Together, it’s possible for us to see a single tooth at up to 50x it’s actual size. We will be able to see cavities, cracks, and other imperfections that could affect your dental health. 

Make an Appointment with Stonebrook Family Dental

At Stonebrook Family Dental, we want to provide you with quality dental care by buying the most current technology and methods. You can rely on us to provide you with the best diagnosis and treatment there is to offer. If you want to come in and experience this technology first-hand, call us today for an appointment: (303)-872-7907.