Dental X-Rays

Dental X-Rays

Dental X-Rays in Rutherford, NJ

rutherford dental xraysTraditional dental examinations provide valuable diagnostic information about the state of your oral health. Dental radiographs, or X-rays, complete this picture, providing dentists with images of the underlying structures of your smile. With dental X-rays we can personalize treatment plans to address all of your dental concerns.

Proactive Care with Dental X-Rays

At Frost Dental Group, we strongly advocate the use of dental radiography to detect abnormalities that are not easily spotted with a visual examination alone. Left untreated, small dental problems can develop into complex issues. Early detection allows Dr. Lee Frost to recommend a variety of conservative treatments that are catered to your comfort and budget.

Dental X-rays allow for early detection of the following:

  • Abscesses or cysts
  • Bone loss 
  • Tumors, non-cancerous and cancerous
  • Decay between teeth
  • Developmental abnormalities
  • Impacted or poorly positioned teeth and roots
  • Problems inside a tooth or below the gum line

Are Dental X-Rays Safe?

In keeping with our commitment to patient health and safety, our team is dedicated to minimizing radiation exposure during dental X-rays. Our Rutherford dentists protect patients’ bodies from excess radiation with lead apron shields. We also use modern, quick processing film that speeds up the imaging process, cutting down exposure time while collecting accurate, comprehensive images.

What precautions will be taken to ensure my child’s safety?

First, the child will be covered in a lead apron to protect the body from unnecessary exposure.  Second, the dentist will use shields to protect the parts of the face that are not being X-rayed.  Finally, the pediatric dentist will use high-speed film to reduce radiation exposure as much as possible.

How Often Will You Need Dental X-Rays?

Your individual dental health needs determine the need for dental X-rays. For new patients, a full mouth series of images is recommended. This gives a complete view of your smile that can be used for three to five years. At check-up visits, bite-wing X-rays are provided to detect dental concerns shown by initial radiographs of the top and bottom teeth.

Dr. Frost will take your medical and dental history into account, along with findings from your oral examination. We also consider the presence of any symptoms, age, and risk factors for disease to decide on an appropriate amount of dental radiography.

When will my child need dental X-rays?

Children at average or below average risk for tooth decay and orthodontic problems should have a set of dental X-rays taken every one to two years.  Even in cases where the pediatric dentist suspects no decay at all, it is still important to periodically monitor tooth and jaw growth – primarily to ensure there is sufficient space available for incoming permanent teeth.

If the oral region has been subject to trauma or injury, the pediatric dentist may want to X-ray the mouth immediately.  Developments in X-ray technology mean that specific areas of the mouth can be targeted and X-rayed separately, reducing the amount of unnecessary X-ray exposure.

Panoramic X-Rays

Panoramic X-rays (also known as Panorex® or orthopantomograms) are wraparound photographs of the face and teeth.  They offer a view that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye.  X-rays in general, expose hidden structures, such as wisdom teeth, reveal preliminary signs of cavities, and also show fractures and bone loss.

Panoramic X-rays are extraoral and simple to perform.  Usually, dental X-rays involve the film being placed inside the mouth, but panoramic film is hidden inside a mechanism that rotates around the outside of the head.

Unlike bitewing X-rays that need to be taken every few years, panoramic X-rays are generally only taken on an as-needed basis.  A panoramic X-ray is not conducted to give a detailed view of each tooth, but rather to provide a better view of the sinus areas, nasal areas and mandibular nerve.  Panoramic X-rays are preferable to bitewing X-rays when a patient is in extreme pain, and when a sinus problem is suspected to have caused dental problems.

Panoramic X-rays are extremely versatile in dentistry, and are used to:

  • Assess patients with an extreme gag reflex.
  • Evaluate the progression of TMJ.
  • Expose cysts and abnormalities.
  • Expose impacted teeth.
  • Expose jawbone fractures.
  • Plan treatment (full and partial dentures, braces and implants).
  • Reveal gum disease and cavities.

How are panoramic X-rays taken?

The panoramic X-ray provides the dentist with an ear-to-ear two-dimensional view of both the upper and lower jaw.  The most common uses for panoramic X-rays are to reveal the positioning of wisdom teeth and to check whether dental implants will affect the mandibular nerve (the nerve extending toward the lower lip).

The Panorex equipment consists of a rotating arm that holds the X-ray generator, and a moving film attachment that holds the pictures.  The head is positioned between these two devices.  The X-ray generator moves around the head taking pictures as orthogonally as possible.  The positioning of the head and body is what determines how sharp, clear and useful the X-rays will be to the dentist.  The pictures are magnified by as much as 30% to ensure that even the minutest detail will be noted.

Panoramic X-rays are an important diagnostic tool and are also valuable for planning future treatment.  They are safer than other types of X-rays because less radiation enters the body.

If you have questions or concerns about panoramic X-rays, please contact our practice.

Contact Frost Dental Group

Dental X-rays help our doctor and team provide comprehensive dental services. For more information about general and preventive dentistry in Rutherford, reach out to us today! 

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Frost Dental Group | 75 Orient Way Suite 203, Rutherford, NJ 07070 | Phone: (201) 438-8870

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