Digital X-rays In Shawnee KS
Dr. Swan, one of the best dentists in Shawnee, and our team at Monticello Family Dental want you to know that there is a better and safer way to get your teeth x-rayed. What has been the industry standard for decades and still used by many dental offices, is now considered unnecessarily dangerous to the patient thanks to advancements in techniques and technology. Patient exposure to radiation in the dental office can be reduced by 90%!
Dr. Swan, one of the best dentists in Shawnee, and our team at Monticello Family Dental want you to know that there is a better and safer way to get your teeth x-rayed. What has been the industry standard for decades and still used by many dental offices, is now considered unnecessarily dangerous to the patient thanks to advancements in techniques and technology. Patient exposure to radiation in the dental office can be reduced by 90%!
Why Do Dentists Use X-rays?
X-rays have been used for many decades and certainly have their place in dentistry. They have saved many patients from suffering unnecessarily by being able to identify problems in your teeth and jaw before they become issues that need surgical attention. X-rays can reveal cavities, hidden impacts, holes, bone loss, and dental structures that have not yet come through the gums (like wisdom teeth). They can also expose cysts, abscesses, growths, tooth decay, and broken roots. In other words, a dentist’s gathered information on how to help you would be severely limited without x-rays! Once an x-ray is taken, we can use it to establish a plan to attack the problems in a mouth.
TYPES OF X-RAYS
Several different types of x-rays have been developed for diagnoses in different situations for different patients:
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Bitewing x-rays are used on the sides of the mouth. These will show the molars (teeth in back) and the bicuspids (teeth just in front of the molars).
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Periapical x-rays are close-ups that focus on two or even one tooth at a time. It reveals the entire tooth from the bite surface to the tip of the root.
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Occlusal x-rays are bigger than regular x-rays. They are generally used to paint a picture of a child's tooth development and give the dentist an idea of their progress in the moth. They can show an entire child-sized jaw.
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Extraoral radiographs are x-rays that give the dentist the "big picture". From these, a dentist can get information on your skull and jaw. This helps the dentist determine growth patterns, the status of teeth, interdental relationships, and a general idea of facial bones.
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Panoramic x-rays are, of course, a panorama of your mouth. They can show your entire set of teeth in one swath. This gives a beautiful picture of how all your teeth influence one another.