Why are Dental X-Rays Such a Big Deal?

Dental X-rays are diagnostic tools

As the age-old cliche goes, there's more than meets the eye. And there are plenty of things your dentist should see inside your mouth. Radiography or dental x-rays are a vital aspect of evaluating your oral health. Your dentists need an in-depth picture of your teeth and bones to help you maintain your picture-perfect smile for everyone to see.

If it's your first time to go through any dental procedure, your dentist will need a proper visualization of your dental health. After this process, you'll know if you have any presence of abscesses and other types of masses in your teeth. For adolescents, dental x-rays are vital in checking for impacted wisdom teeth and decay.

On the other hand, it's best to let your dentist closely monitor the status and position of your children's baby teeth. When permanent teeth start to grow beneath your children's existing primary teeth, complications may begin to arise. These include the lack of room for permanent teeth, gaps, and your teeth not lining up when you close your mouth.

Dental X-rays are preventive measures

Your teeth are not just what you see when you look in the mirror. They're composed of enamel, dentin, cementum and pulp (which contains the nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue). Cavities and tooth decay can spread deep within your dentin eventually infecting your pulp. When this happens, you'll feel excruciating pain and swelling caused by inflammation. Dentists use dental x-rays to detect early signs of cavity damage and well-hidden signs of tooth decay.

Dental x-rays are also used to detect gum problems. When symptoms are diagnosed during the early stages, you'll have a better chance of saving your precious teeth from costly treatments. Many dental issues can be fixed with proper oral hygiene when caught early enough

Risk of not getting dental x-rays

Just like any part of your skeletal system, your teeth and jaws are partly bones. Imagine not letting your doctor or surgeon give you a comprehensive x-ray of the area before setting a broken bone? Same goes with your teeth--regardless if there's a damage or not, an accurate visualization allows your dentist to get a clear picture--literally.

If you frequent your dentist, you'll get your dental radiography one way or another. Think about this. Two-thirds of your tooth is under your gum tissue. Only your dentist can know what's happening beneath your gum line--and the sole path towards this is paved by dental x-rays.

In conclusion

Your teeth are both vulnerable and unpredictable. Relying on how they are progressing from checking a mirror is a dangerous habit and frankly, can be a costly one, too. Dental x-rays examine your tooth from top to bottom. When you get a dentist to see the nooks and crannies of your teeth, they can take care of any issues earlier, so it's going to cost you less than if you had waited.

In a nutshell, dental x-rays give your teeth all the attention they need. Aside from low levels of radiation, there's not really a downside to dental radiography. Even then, radiation exposure can be avoided through appropriate equipment and procedure protocols. Pregnant women are exceptions, though.

When it comes to your teeth, ignorance will never be a cause of bliss. Book your next dentist appointment now and discover what your teeth have been hiding from you!

Call us at (281) 367-3685 in Woodlands , (281) 356-3351 in Pinehurst or CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment.