Digital X-Ray

X-rays are a form of energy that pass through solid objects and are absorbed by your teeth and bones, which are then highlighted. Dense objects like teeth and jaws appear in lighter shades while less-dense objects like gums appear in darker shades. Dental x-rays allow the dentist to look inside your soft tissue, examining your dental and facial bone structure.

As such, dental x-rays — digital or traditional — are crucial components of preventative dental care that provide a complete overview of your teeth, jaws, and facial bone structure. Dental x-rays allow dentists to identify problems that may not be visible through regular oral exams, allowing them to diagnose problems early.

Dental x-rays allow dentists to identify the following problems in your teeth and jaws:

• Dental decay between teeth.
• Dental decay in fillings.
• Loss of bone structure in the jaws.
• Changes in the bone structure of a tooth due to infections.
• Condition of the jawbone structure under the socket of a missing tooth.
• Dental abscess formation between the gums and teeth.
• Cysts and tumors in your oral cavities.
• Dental structure for implants and braces.
• Identification of erupting wisdom teeth.
• Impacted teeth.

• Bitewing X-Rays: This is a type of dental x-ray used to examine a specific part of your mouth. Your dentist may take several bitewing x-rays to expose specific parts of your upper and lower teeth, along with their complete root structure. These are ideal for decay identification.
• Periapical X-Rays: This is a type of dental x-ray that captures your entire tooth’s structure, focusing on an individual tooth. The x-ray shows the tooth’s crown, root canal, and root under the gum line. These are used to identify small structural changes in and around a specific tooth.
• Full Mouth X-Rays: This refers to a series of x-rays taken with a combination of bitewing x-rays and periapical x-rays to gain a baseline and overall understanding of your mouth’s structure. These are taken if the dentist suspects cysts or tumors or needs extractions or gum disease treatment.
• Panoramic X-Rays: This refers to a single x-ray that takes a panoramic photo of your entire mouth from end to end. It allows the dentist to identify all your teeth to narrow down on possible issues like impacted teeth.
• Occlusal X-Rays: This is a type of x-ray used to capture specific sections of your upper or lower jaws, similar to bitewing x-rays. They help dentists identify children’s teeth that haven’t yet emerged from the gums.

• Digital dental x-rays expose you to 90% less radiation than traditional x-rays, making them a lot safer.
• Digital x-rays don’t depend on traditional x-rays, so the dentist doesn’t need to wait for the results of the x-rays. They’re available instantly.
• The dentist can easily enlarge images to identify problems with greater ease.
• Without x-ray films, there’s no need to dispose of harmful wastes, making digital x-rays more eco-friendly.