Hello! My name is Andrew Comerci. I am a dentist here at Integrity Dental in Pueblo, CO. Today I’d like to talk to you about dental x-rays. Here at Integrity Dental we get a lot of questions about dental x-rays, “what are they,” “what do the dentists use them for,” “are they safe,” “are they covered by insurance.” We’re going to talk about that today!
When do dentists take dental x-rays?
Well, we take them at routine examinations, usually at least annually, but we will also take x-rays whenever we feel they are needed to attain some information about the health of the tooth.
What are the different types of dental x-rays and how are they used?
There are generally 3 types of dental x-rays that are commonly used. There is one that is called a panoramic x-ray. What that is is an x-ray that will go all the way around your head. The patient will stand at a machine, and the x-ray machine will rotate around the head and we can see all the teeth, the jaws, and part of the skull all in one x-ray. That is usually taken every 3 to 5 years and is a good x-ray to have at the beginning of your exam at a new patient appointment. Another very common x-ray is called a bitewing x-ray. Those are usually taken in most dental offices in the mouth and there’s usually two on each side. They can sometimes be taken at a machine. Those are used to look more closely at teeth and are best used to look for cavities between teeth. Those are usually done every year, or at most every 2 years. Another common x-ray is called a periapical x-ray. The periapical part of the tooth is the point right at the tip of the root. So, a dentist will ask for a periapical x-ray if he wants to see something deeper down, deeper into the bone around the root. A less common x-ray, but very helpful in certain situations, is what’s called a cone beam CT (CBCT). A cone beam CT is a kind of x-ray that we get when we need a lot of information about the condition of the teeth. It’s a three-dimensional x-ray and helps us a lot in root canal therapy or evaluating the dimensions of teeth and preparation for implant therapy, or even when we are taking out wisdom teeth and we want to see where the tips of the roots are in relation to nerve tissue. So, those are the general types of x-rays. Each one have their purpose and each are done at different intervals.
Are dental x-rays safe?
The general answer to that question is yes. But x-rays are radiation and we do want to keep the x-ray exposure to a minimum. So, for that reason, dental professionals that take x-rays want to stay outside of the x-ray room, want to cover themselves to protect themselves from additional x-rays that we don’t want to expose ourselves to. But for the typical patient coming in once or twice a year and getting routine x-rays, it is very safe. But we in the dental profession want to minimize the amount of x-rays that we give, so we only prescribe them when they are truly beneficial and truly necessary. The typical amount of x-rays that you would receive in a year if you were following the average is very similar to the amount of x-rays or exposure that you would have in going out in the sun. So, it is a risk that is worth the risk by virtue of the information that we get, but we do what to keep it to a minimum.
What do dental x-rays show?
A dentist with request x-rays or prescribe x-rays when they’re wanting to look in the mouth and evaluate parts of the teeth and the bone and the ligaments even that we cannot se directly with looking in the mouth. It helps us see through the jawbone, and through the teeth, and evaluate areas that we can’t see directly. So, when a dentist does their exam, they’re looking at things that can be seen directly but it’s only showing part of the picture. What’s the health of the gums and the bone and the tissue underneath where we can’t see? What do the teeth look like where they are touching where the dentist cant’ see? Those x-rays are very valuable for that. It also helps us evaluate your joint and look for things like cancer that cannot be seen on the surface.
Can dental x-rays show periodontal disease?
In a way, they can. When a dentist is evaluating periodontal disease part of what we are using to make that diagnosis is the health and quality of the bone. Part of what we are looking for is “is there bone loss around teeth?”. To evaluate bone loss, x-rays are necessary. But an oral exam is also a vital part of the process to make an accurate diagnosis.
Are dental x-rays covered by insurance?
Generally speaking, yes. For good insurance policies, routine x-rays should be covered. It’s routine care, standard of care, and they should be covered. What does that mean? Generally speaking, every three to five years an insurance company will cover a panoramic x-ray. Generally speaking, every year bitewing x-rays will be covered. And generally speaking, individual periapical x-rays will be covered as needed. The cone beam CT that we talked about is very rarely covered. Every insurance policy is different, so it behooves you to understand your policy well and what is covered and we’ll do our best to help you with that when you come in.
When should I schedule a dental exam?
Well, we recommend two exams per year. So, I would recommend if you have not had a dental exam in the last year, schedule an exam with us or a nearby dentist and get a good quality comprehensive dental exam with x-rays. In general, every six months is adequate to maintain a good idea of your oral health.
I hope this Q&A about dental x-rays has been helpful. If you have any other questions that you would like to ask, please give us a call at Integrity Dental. Our phone number is 719-545-2468. If you have not had a dental exam in a while, please give us a call. We would love to meet you, I’d love to go over all of this with you in person.