The Benefits of Low-Dose Dental X-Rays

Low Dose Digital X-rays are the newest improvement is dental diagnostic imaging. Now you can have your dental x-rays done electronically, almost instantly appearing on our computer screen, with up to 80% less radiation. The benefit to our patients is that you would need eight years of these  new state-of-the-art low dose digital x-rays to equal one year of the regular dental x-rays. And the x-rays are better because we can optimize the brightness and contrast, as well as enlarge them for easier viewing.

These low dose digital x-rays are just one more example of Dental Care of Stamford’s commitment to bringing the best of dentistry to our patients.

Dental X-Ray Safety

Dental x-rays are one of the most important tools we have to help people avoid serious dental problems because they let us detect problems while they are still small- before they are even visible to the naked eye – before serious conditions develop. In addition, they are also very safe for the patient.

To emphasize the safety of dental x-rays, I quote from an article by Drs. Truhlar, Morris and Ochi in the Journal of Implant Dentistry Vol 2 No. 21993.

“The calculated risk of cancer to a patient from a Panoramic x-ray or series of cavity detecting x-rays is less than one in a million. To lend perspective on the relative risk of one in a million, compare to the following activities that are estimated to have a one in a million risk of causing  your death.”
(1) 20 minutes as a 60-year-old-man (natural death),
(2)  2  months in Denver (cosmic radiation),
(3) 10 miles by bicycle (accident),
(4) 300 mile by car (accident),
(5) 10 days of typical factory work (accident)
(6) 1 cigarette (chemical carcinogen), and
(7) 500 ml of wine (alcohol).

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25 Important Reasons To Have Regular Dental X-Rays

Now that you realize how safe dental x-rays are, here are 25 important reasons why you should have regular dental x-rays.

1. To determine the presence of hidden decay
2. To determine the presence of dental abscess
3. To determine the presence of cysts
4. To determine the presence of tumors  (benign or malignant)
5. To determine whether to remove primary teeth
6. To determine if complete complement of  permanent teeth   is present
7. To determine condition of root canal filled teeth
8. To determine condition of deep restorations
9. To determine if decay present in abnormal areas
10. To determine condition of supporting bone
11. To determine presence of impacted teeth
12. To determine if extra (supernumerary) teeth are present
13. To determine depth of periodontal abscess
14. To determine strength of teeth for support for fixed bridge
15. To determine amount of bone destruction in periodontal disease
16. To determine presence of ill-fitting restorations
17. To determine reasons for pressure sensitivity
18. To determine presence of fractured roots
19. To determine location of abscess in multi-rooted teeth
20. To determine presence of foreign bodies
21. To locate fistula track
22. To examine bridge field
23. To locate hidden calculus
24. To observe root involvement with sinuses
25. To determine presence of abnormally shaped roots