Digital X-Rays Specialist

What are dental X-rays?

Dental X-rays are an essential part of pediatric dental care, as they give your child's dental team a high-resolution look at their teeth. Using state-of-the-art digital technology, electromagnetic waves and low-dose radiation create detailed images of the structures inside your child's mouth.

Digital X-rays produce 90% less radiation than traditional X-rays, making them safer for your child. They allow the team to monitor normal dental development and detect oral health problems, such as:

• Tooth decay
• Misalignment problems
• Periodontal disease
• Bone loss
• Abscess or infection
• Damaged or injured teeth
• Exposed or damaged roots
• Impacted teeth
• Missing or extra teeth (supernumerary teeth) 
• Lesions in the mandible or maxilla 

Dental X-rays allow early detection and intervention for these common dental issues. They also help your child’s dental team plan interventions to help restore their oral health when needed, such as extractions or for orthodontic treatment.

What are the different kinds of dental X-rays?

RyeSmiles Pediatric Dentistry offers intraoral and extraoral digital X-rays. Together, these two types of X-rays give a complete view of your child's mouth.

Intraoral

Intraoral X-rays create a snaphot view of your child's upper and lower bite from the inside of the mouth. These X-rays show the presence of decay that cannot be detected by eye.  Bitewing or periapical radiographs will detect decay, problems within the nerve or roots of teeth, and the proximity of the growing permanent teeth. Sometimes things like extra teeth or missing teeth may also be detected.  

The team at RyeSmiles Pediatric Dentistry takes a conservative approach to getting regular dental X-rays. The providers recommend children typically get dental X-rays every 18 months unless contraindicated by their specific oral health needs.

Extraoral

Extraoral X-rays create panoramic views of your child's upper and lower bite from the outside of the mouth. These X-rays show teeth that haven't grown in yet, such as the wisdom teeth. It is a good x-ray to show the eruptive path of the growing teeth, as well as any other develpomental issues.  They also help visualize the progression of orthodontic treatment, including braces, space maintainers, and more.

Panoramic radiographs are tyoically taken around the age of 9 to assess a child's ortho needs, and then again around age17-18 to evalaute the position of the wisdom teeth. 

What does getting dental X-rays entail?

Getting dental X-rays is a simple, painless process. Your dental team collects X-rays during a regular exam or when your child has dental problems. The team has instant access to the digital images and discusses any concerns or problem areas they see with you.

The team asks your child to sit or stand motionless while an X-ray camera moves around their head for extraoral pictures. For intraoral X-rays, the team places a small sensor inside their mouth and has them bite down for a few seconds while the camera takes a shot. Digital radiographs have up to 90% less radiation in comparison to conventional film images.

If your child is having pain or the team needs several views to plan orthodontic treatment, multiple images may be necessary. The team communicates everything to your child as they go, so they know what to expect.

To schedule quality dental care and dental X-rays, call RyeSmiles Pediatric Dentistry or book online today.