DENTAL X-RAYS

Dental x-rays can help your dentist find issues with your teeth, gums and underlying bone structures.

Like exams and annual cleanings, dental x-rays are an important part of maintaining your dental health. Here’s what you should know about this painless dental procedure. 

Because tooth decay and tooth root damage are not always visible to the naked eye, dental x-rays can help your dentist spot decay below the surface. 

Additionally, x-rays are also used to diagnose gum disease. A full panel of dental x-rays can show your dentist the approximate amount of bone mass in your upper and lower jaw. Bone loss in these areas signifies gum disease. 

X-rays are also used to spot impacted teeth and to evaluate the placement of wisdom teeth and unerupted permanent teeth. X-rays also show intraoral abscesses and cysts that need to be treated. 

Intraoral x-rays show your dentist not only your teeth, but also the structures beneath the teeth, such as attached bone and tooth roots. Intraoral x-rays also show unerupted or impacted teeth and allow your dentist to spot tooth decay or cavities beneath the gum line or tooth surface. 

Bitewing radiographs are a four x-ray set that show your back teeth (molars and premolars). This allows dentist to measure the height of bone between the teeth and to spot hidden tooth decay or signs of periodontal disease. To take these x-rays, you’ll bite down on a cardboard tab. The x-rays are typically taken on the tongue and cheek sides of your teeth. 

Periapical x-rays show the entirety of a single tooth, from the crown to the tooth root. These x-rays are taken by having the individual bite down on a 

Panoramic x-rays use a combination of periapical and bitewing x-rays to show a full survey of the intraoral space, including tooth roots. 

Extraoral x-rays are taken outside of the mouth and provide a look at the structures of the jaw and skull.